    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 15, 2003]
    [Pages 410-413]
    [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                                          Steven R. Blust
    Commissioners                                     Joseph E. Brennan,
                                                              Harold J.
                                                              Creel, Jr.,
                                                              Rebecca F.
                                                              Dye, Delmond
                                                              J.H. Won
    General Counsel                                   David R. Miles, Acting
    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                     Austin L. Schmitt
        Director, Bureau of Consumer                  Sandra L. Kusumoto
                Complaints and Licensing
        Director, Bureau of Enforcement               Vern W. Hill
        Director, Bureau of Trade Analysis            Florence A. Carr

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    The Federal Maritime Commission is responsible for regulating the
    waterborne foreign commerce of the United States. It ensures that U.S.
    oceanborne trades are open to all on fair and equitable terms and
    protects against concerted activities and unlawful practices. This is
    accomplished by reviewing agreements between persons subject to the
    Shipping Act of 1984, as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of
    1998; licensing ocean transportation intermediaries; monitoring the
    activities of agreements, common carriers and ocean transportation
    intermediaries; enforcing prohibitions against unjustly 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 agreements by and among ocean

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    common carriersand/or marine terminal operators, filed under section 5
    of the Shipping Act of 1984, for statutory compliance as well as for
    likely impact on competition. 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 EconomicAnalyses  The Commission prescribes and
    administers programs to ensure compliance with the provisions of the
    shipping statutes. These programs include education and outreach
    activities; the submission of information; field investigations of
    activities and practices of common carriers, conferences, terminal
    operators, ocean transportation intermediaries, passenger vessel
    operators, 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. 320, 839 S. Beacon
                           St., San Pedro, CA
                           90733.
                          Phone, 310-514-4905.      Oliver E. Clark
                           Fax, 310-514-3931. E-
                           mail, oliverc@fmc.gov.
    Miami                 Rm. 705, 909 SE. First
                           Ave., Miami, FL 33131.
                          Phone, 305-536-4316.      Andrew Margolis
                           Fax, 305-536-4317. E-
                           mail, andrewm@fmc.gov.
                          Phone, 305-536-5529.      Eric O. Mintz
                           Fax, 305-536-4317. E-
                           mail, ericom@fmc.gov.
    New Orleans           Rm. 309B, 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              JFK Int'l Airport, Bldg.
                           75, Rm. 205B, New York,
                           NY 11430.

    [[Page 413]]

                          Phone, 718-553-2228.      Emanuel J. Mingione
                           Fax, 718-553-2229. 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 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, josephf@fmc.gov.
    Publications  The Forty-First Annual Report (2002) 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, secretary@fmc.gov.

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