[United States Government Manual]
[May 31, 1996]
[Pages 543-546]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 543]]
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FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION
800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC 20573-0001
Phone, 202-523-5707
Chairman Harold J. Creel, Jr.
Commissioners Ming C. Hsu, Joe
Scroggins, Jr.,
Delmond J.H. Won,
(vacancy)
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 Enforcement Vern W. Hill
Director, Bureau of Sandra L. Kusumoto
Administration
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The Federal Maritime Commission regulates the waterborne foreign
commerce of the United States, ensures that U.S. 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; ensuring that
only the rates on file with the Commission are charged; reviewing
agreements between persons subject to the Shipping Act of 1984;
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 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 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 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. It 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
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dealing with service contracts, of common carriers engaged in the
foreign and domestic offshore commerce of the United States, or
conferences of such carriers. 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 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
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District Address Officer in Charge
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Los Angeles......... Suite 5170, 501 W. Ocean Oliver E. Clark
Blvd., Long Beach, CA
90802.
Miami............... Suite 302, 18441 NW. 2d Andrew Margolis
Ave., Miami, FL 33169.
New York............ Suite 614, 6 World Trade (Vacancy)
Ctr., New York, NY
10048-0949.
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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-fourth Annual Report (1995) is a recent
publication of the Federal Maritime Commission.
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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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