[United States Government Manual]
[July 01, 1995]
[Pages 558-561]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]





FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION

800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC 20573-0001
Phone, 202-523-5707
Chairman                                         William D. Hathaway
Commissioners                                    Harold J. Creel, Jr., 
                                                     Ming C. Hsu, Joe 
                                                     Scroggins, Jr., 
                                                     Delmond J.H. Won
General Counsel                                  Robert D. Bourgoin
Secretary                                        Joseph C. Polking
  Director, Office of Informal                   Joseph T. Farrell
      Inquiries, Complaints, and 
      Informal Dockets
Chief Administrative Law Judge                   Norman D. Kline
Director, Office of Equal Employment             Mary A. Jackson
    Opportunity
Inspector General                                Tony P. Kominoth
Managing Director                                Edward Patrick Walsh
  Deputy Managing Director                       Bruce A. Dombrowski
  Director, Bureau of Economics and              Austin Schmitt
      Agreements Analysis
  Director, Bureau of Tariffs,                   Bryant L. VanBrakle
      Certification and Licensing
  Director, Bureau of                            Norman W. Littlejohn
    Investigations
[[Page 559]]

  Director, Bureau of Hearing                    William Jarrel Smith, 
      Counsel                                        Jr.
  Director, Bureau of                            Sandra L. Kusumoto
      Administration
________________________________________________________________________
  
The Federal Maritime Commission regulates the waterborne foreign and 
domestic offshore commerce of the United States, assures that United 
States international trade is open to all nations on fair and equitable 
terms, and protects against unauthorized, concerted activity in the 
waterborne commerce of the United States. This is accomplished through 
maintaining surveillance over steamship conferences and common carriers 
by water; assuring that only the rates on file with the Commission are 
charged; reviewing agreements between persons subject to the Shipping 
Act of 1984 and the Shipping Act, 1916; guaranteeing equal treatment to 
shippers, carriers, and other persons subject to the shipping statutes; 
and ensuring that adequate levels of financial responsibility are 
maintained for indemnification of passengers.

The Federal Maritime Commission was established by Reorganization Plan 
No. 7 of 1961 (5 U.S.C. app.), effective August 12, 1961. It is an 
independent agency that regulates shipping under the following statutes: 
the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. app. 1701-1720); the Shipping Act, 
1916 (46 U.S.C. app. 801 et seq.); the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 
U.S.C. app. 861 et seq.); the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988 (46 
U.S.C. app. 1710a); the Intercoastal Shipping Act, 1933 (46 U.S.C. app. 
843 et seq.); the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. app. 1101 et 
seq.); and certain provisions of the act of November 6, 1966 (46 U.S.C. 
app. 817(d) and 817(e)).

Activities

Agreements  The Commission reviews for legal sufficiency agreements 
filed under section 15 of the Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. app. 814), 
and section 5 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. app. 1704), 
including conference, interconference, and cooperative working 
agreements among common carriers, terminal operators, and other persons 
subject to the shipping statutes. The Commission also monitors 
activities under all effective (1984 act) or approved (1916 act) 
agreements for compliance with the provisions of law and its rules, 
orders, and regulations.
Tariffs  The Commission accepts or rejects tariff filings, including 
filings dealing with service contracts, of common carriers engaged in 
the foreign and domestic offshore commerce of the United States, or 
conferences of such carriers. The Commission regulates the rate of 
return of carriers in the domestic offshore trades. Special permission 
applications may be submitted for relief from statutory and/or 
Commission tariff requirements. The Commission monitors the activities 
of controlled carriers under section 9 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 
U.S.C. app. 1708, 1709, 1714).
Licenses  The Commission issues licenses to persons, partnerships, 
corporations, or associations desiring to engage in ocean freight 
forwarding activities.
Passenger Indemnity  The Commission administers the passenger indemnity 
provisions of the act of November 6, 1966, which require shipowners and 
operators to obtain certificates of financial responsibility to pay 
judgments for personal injury or death or to refund fares in the event 
of nonperformance of voyages.
Informal Complaints  The Commission reviews alleged or suspected 
violations of the shipping statutes and rules and regulations of the 
Commission and may take administrative action to institute formal 
proceedings, to refer matters to other governmental agencies, or to 
bring about voluntary agreement between the parties.
Formal Adjudicatory Procedure  The Commission conducts formal 
investigations and hearings on its own motion and adjudicates formal 
complaints in accordance with the

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Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. note prec. 551).
Rulemaking  The Commission promulgates rules and regulations to 
interpret, enforce, and ensure compliance with shipping and related 
statutes by common carriers and other persons subject to the statutes.
Investigation, Audit, and Financial and Economic Analyses  The 
Commission prescribes and administers programs to ensure compliance with 
the provisions of the shipping statutes. These programs include the 
submission of information; field investigations and audits of activities 
and practices of common carriers, conferences, terminal operators, 
freight forwarders, and other persons subject to the shipping statutes; 
and rate analyses, studies, and economic reviews of current and 
prospective trade conditions, including the extent and nature of 
competition in various trade areas.
International Affairs  The Commission conducts investigations of foreign 
governmental and foreign carrier practices that adversely affect the 
U.S. shipping trade and, in conjunction with the Department of State, 
conducts activities to effect the elimination of discriminatory 
practices on the part of foreign governments against United States-flag 
shipping and to achieve comity between the United States and its trading 
partners.

              District Offices--Federal Maritime Commission             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      District                 Address              Officer in Charge   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Houston.............  Suite 110, Box 14, 14960  Donald H. Butler        
                       Heathrow Forest Pky.,                            
                       Houston, TX 77032-3842.                          
Los Angeles.........  Suite 270, 11 Golden      Michael A. Murphy       
                       Shore, Long Beach, CA                            
                       90802.                                           
Miami...............  Suite 302, 18441 NW. 2d   Richard L. Larson       
                       Ave., Miami, FL 33169.                           
New Orleans.........  Suite 2260, 365 Canal     (Vacancy)               
                       St., New Orleans, LA                             
                       70130.                                           
New York............  Suite 614, 6 World Trade  Martin J. Keenaghan     
                       Ctr., New York, NY                               
                       10048-0949.                                      
Puerto Rico.........  Rm. 762, U.S. District    Lorraine Jimenez        
                       Courthouse, 150 Carlos                           
                       Chardon Ave., Hato Rey,                          
                       PR 00918-2254.                                   
San Francisco.......  Suite 1250, 455 Market    Carlos D. Niemeyer      
                       St., San Francisco, CA                           
                       94105-2441.                                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources of Information

Employment  Employment inquiries may be directed to the Office of 
Personnel, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20573-0001. Phone, 202-523-5773.
Informal Complaints   Phone, 202-523-5807.
Publications  The Thirty-third Annual Report (1994) is a recent 
publication of the Federal Maritime Commission.

For further information, contact the Office of the Secretary, Federal 
Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC 20573-
0001. Phone, 202-523-5725. Fax, 202-523-0014.

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