    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 1999]
    [Pages 545-548]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 545]]

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    FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION

    800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC 20573-0001

    Phone, 202-523-5707. Internet, http://www.fmc.gov/.
    Chairman                                          Harold J. Creel, Jr.
    Commissioners                                     Ming C. Hsu, John A.
                                                              Moran, Delmond
                                                              J.H. Won,
                                                              (vacancy)
    General Counsel                                   Thomas Panebianco
    Secretary                                         Bryant L. VanBrakle
        Director, Office of Informal                  Joseph T. Farrell
                Inquiries, Complaints, and
                Informal Dockets
    Chief Administrative Law Judge                    Norman D. Kline
    Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity  Alice M. Blackmon
    Inspector General                                 Tony P. Kominoth
    Managing Director                                 Edward Patrick Walsh
        Deputy Managing Director                      Bruce A. Dombrowski
        Director, Bureau of Economics and             Florence A. Carr
                Agreements Analysis
        Director, Bureau of Tariffs,                  Austin L. Schmitt
                Certification, and Licensing
        Director, Bureau of Enforcement               Vern W. Hill
        Director, Bureau of Administration            Sandra L. Kusumoto

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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; reviewing
    agreements between persons subject to the Shipping Act of 1984;
    enforcing prohibitions against discriminatory acts and other prohibited
    practices of 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, 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 agreements for
    compliance with the provisions of law and its rules, orders, and
    regulations.
    Tariffs  The Commission monitors and prescribes requirements to ensure
    accessibity and accuracy of electronic

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    tariff publications of common carriers engaged in the foreign commerce
    of the United States, or conferences of such carriers under section 8 of
    the Shipping Act of 1984. 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.
    Service Contracts  The Commission receives and reviews filings of
    confidential service contracts between shippers and ocean common
    carriers. The Commission also monitors publication of certain essential
    terms of those service contracts.
    Licenses  The Commission issues licenses as ocean transportation
    intermediaries to those persons and entities who wish to carry out the
    business of providing freight forwarding services and non-vessel-
    operating common carrier services.
    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 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 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.

                Area Representatives--Federal Maritime Commission
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            Area                Address/Phone            Representative
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    Los Angeles           Rm. 1018, 300 S. Ferry
                           St., San Pedro, CA
                           90731.
                          Phone, 310-514-4905.      Oliver E. Clark
                           Fax, 310-514-3931. E-
                           mail, oliverc@fmc.gov.
    Miami                 Rm. 736, 909 SE. First
                           Ave., Miami, FL 33131.
                          Phone, 305-536-4316.      Andrew Margolis
                           Fax, 305-536-4317. E-
                           mail, andrewm@fmc.gov.
    New Orleans           Rm. 303, 423 Canal St.,
                           New Orleans, LA 70130.
                          Phone, 504-589-6662.      Alvin N. Kellogg
                           Fax, 504-589-6663. E-
                           mail, alvink@fmc.gov.
    New York              P.O. Box 3461, New York,
                           NY 10008.
                          Phone, 212-637-2929.      Emanuel J. Mingione
                           Fax, 212-637-2930. E-
                           mail, emanuelm@fmc.gov.
    Seattle               Suite 100, 7 S. Nevada
                           St., Seattle, WA 98134.
                          Phone, 206-553-0221.      Michael A. Moneck
                           Fax, 206-553-0222. E-
                           mail, michaelm@fmc.gov.
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    Sources of Information

    Electronic Access  Information about the Federal Maritime Commission is
    available in electronic form through the Internet, at http://
    www.fmc.gov/.
    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. E-mail, josephf@fmc.gov.
    Publications  The Thirty-seventh Annual Report (1998) 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. Internet, http://
    www.fmc.gov/. E-mail, secretary@fmc.gov.

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