[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 2000]
[Pages 422-425]
[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. Internet, www.fmc.gov.
Chairman                                          Harold J. Creel, Jr.
Commissioners                                     Joseph E. Brennan, 
                                                          Anthony M. 
                                                          Merck, John A. 
                                                          Moran, Delmond 
                                                          J.H. Won
General Counsel                                   Thomas Panebianco
Secretary                                         Bryant L. VanBrakle
Chief Administrative Law Judge                    Norman D. Kline
Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity  Alice M. Blackmon
Inspector General                                 Tony P. Kominoth
Executive Director                                Bruce A. Dombrowski
    Deputy Executive Director                     Florence A. Carr
    Director, Bureau of Consumer                  Sandra L. Kusumoto
            Complaints and Licensing
    Director, Bureau of Enforcement               Vern W. Hill
    Director, Bureau of Trade Analysis            Austin L. Schmitt

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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 
accessibility and accuracy of electronic tariff publications of common 
carriers engaged in the foreign commerce of the United States. Special 
permission applications may be submitted for relief from statutory and/
or Commission tariff requirements.
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.
Investigationand Financial and EconomicAnalyses  The Commission 
prescribes and administers programs to


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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, passenger vessel operations, 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, [email protected].
Miami                 Rm. 736, 909 SE. First
                       Ave., Miami, FL 33131.
                      Phone, 305-536-4316.      Andrew Margolis
                       Fax, 305-536-4317. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
New Orleans           Rm. 303, 423 Canal St.,
                       New Orleans, LA 70130.
                      Phone, 504-589-6662.      Alvin N. Kellogg
                       Fax, 504-589-6663. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
New York              P.O. Box 3461, New York,
                       NY 10008.
                      Phone, 212-637-2929.      Emanuel J. Mingione
                       Fax, 212-637-2930. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
Seattle               Suite 100, 7 S. Nevada
                       St., Seattle, WA 98134.
                      Phone, 206-553-0221.      Michael A. Moneck
                       Fax, 206-553-0222. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
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Sources of Information

Electronic Access  Information about the Federal Maritime Commission is 
available in electronic form through the Internet, at www.fmc.gov.
Employment  Employment inquiries may be directed to the Office of Human 
Resources, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20573-0001. Phone, 202-523-5773.
Informal Complaints  Phone, 202-523-5807. E-mail, [email protected].
Publications  The Thirty-eighth Annual Report (1999) 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, www.fmc.gov. E-
mail, [email protected].

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