[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 135 (Friday, July 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41372-41373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17140]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Ocean Freight 
Revenues and Foreign Expenses of United States Carriers (Form BE-30) 
and U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and Expenses (Form BE-37)

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before 5:00 p.m. 
September 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information or copies of the survey and instructions to Damon 
Battaglia, Special Surveys Branch, Balance of Payments Division, (BE-
50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9826; fax: (202) 606-5318; or 
via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Form BE-30, Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of United 
States Carriers, obtains quarterly data from U.S. carriers (owners and 
operators) that had total covered revenues or total covered expenses of 
$500,000 or more during the previous year or are expected to be 
$500,000 or more during the current year. The covered revenues are 
revenue on cargo outbound from U.S. ports and the associated shipping 
weight; revenue on cargo inbound into the United States and the 
associated shipping weight; revenue on cross-trade cargoes; and charter 
hire (with crew) and space leasing revenues from foreign residents. The 
covered expenses are expenses in foreign countries and charter hire 
(with crew) and space leasing payments to foreign residents. The data 
collected are cut-off sample data. The Bureau of Economic Analysis 
(BEA) estimates data for non-respondents.
    Form BE-37, U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and Expenses, 
obtains quarterly data from U.S. airline operators engaged in the 
international transportation of goods and/or passengers and whose total 
annual covered revenues or total annual covered expenses were $500,000 
or more during the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more 
during the current year. The covered revenues are the revenues derived 
from carriage of export freight and express from the United States to 
points outside the United States; total revenue derived from carriage 
of freight and express originating from, and destined to, points 
outside the United States; revenue derived from carriage of passengers 
originating from, and destined to, points outside the United States; 
and interline settlement receipts from foreign airline operators. The 
covered expenses are expenses incurred outside the United States for 
fuel and oil, station and maintenance bases, wages, and other goods and 
services purchased abroad [except aircraft (without crew) leasing 
expenses]; aircraft (with crew) leasing expenses; and interline 
settlement payments to foreign airline operators. The data collected 
are cut-off sample data. BEA estimates data for non-respondents.
    The data are needed to monitor U.S. international trade in 
transportation services to analyze its impact on the U.S. and foreign 
economies, to compile and improve the U.S. economic accounts, to 
support U.S. commercial policy on trade in transportation services, to 
conduct trade promotion, and to improve the ability of U.S. businesses 
to identify and evaluate market opportunities.
    Responses will be due within 45 days after the close of each 
calendar quarter. The data from the survey are primarily intended as 
general purpose statistics. They are needed to answer any number of 
research and policy questions related to ocean freight revenues and 
foreign expenses of United States carriers.
    There are two significant changes to the BE-30 survey: (1) A 
question has been added to collect data on fuel expenses in foreign 
ports explicitly. Fuel expenses are currently reported 
indistinguishably within total expenses in foreign ports. (2) The due 
date for the survey has been changed to 45 days after the end of the 
calendar quarter from 50 days after the end of the calendar quarter. 
The remainder of the form is unchanged from the prior version. No 
changes in exemption levels are proposed.
    There are three major changes to the BE-37 survey: (1) Fuel 
expenses will be collected separately. Fuel expenses are currently 
reported indistinguishably within total expenses in foreign ports. (2) 
Two questions have been added to collect data on the number of 
passengers transported to/from the United States and the revenues 
associated with these passengers. (3) The due date for the survey has 
been changed to 45 days after the end of the calendar quarter from 50 
days after the end of the calendar quarter. The remainder of the form 
is unchanged from the prior version. No changes in exemption levels are 
proposed.

II. Method of Collection

    The surveys are sent to the respondents by U.S. mail; the surveys 
are also available from the BEA Web site. Respondents return the 
surveys one of four ways: U.S. mail, electronically using BEA's 
electronic collection system (eFile), fax, or email.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0011.
    Form Number: BE-30 and BE-37.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 65 per quarter; 220 annually (BE-
30: 32 per quarter and 128 annually; BE-37: 23 per quarter; 92 
annually).
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours per response for both BE-30 
and BE-37.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 880.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: The International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

[[Page 41373]]

burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 10, 2012.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-17140 Filed 7-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P