[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 2004]
[Pages 413-416]
[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                                     A. Paul Anderson, 
                                                          Joseph E. 
                                                          Brennan, 
                                                          Harold J. 
                                                          Creel, Jr., 
                                                          Rebecca F. Dye
General Counsel                                   Amy W. Larson
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 and monitoring 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 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 passenger 
vessel operators maintain adequate levels of financial responsibility 
for the indemnification of passengers for nonperformance or casualty.

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, as amended (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 in the U.S. 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).
Alternative Dispute Resolution  The Commission provides mediation and 
other dispute resolution services in order to assist parties in 
achieving a more acceptable resoultion to a dispute at less cost than 
may be possible in litigation. These services are available before and 
after the commencement of litigation.
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
                       90733-0230.

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                      Phone, 310-514-4905.      Oliver E. Clark
                       Fax, 310-514-3931. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
South Florida         P.O. Box 813609,
                       Hollywood, FL 33081-
                       3609.
                      Phone, 954-963-5362.      Andrew Margolis
                       Fax, 954-963-5630. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
                      Phone, 954-963-5284.      Eric O. Mintz
                       Fax, 954-963-5630. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
New Orleans           Rm. 309B, 423 Canal St.,
                       New Orleans, LA 70130.
                      Phone, 504-589-6662.      Alvin N. Kellogg
                       Fax, 504-589-6663. E-
                       mail, [email protected].
New York              JFK Int'l Airport, Bldg.
                       75, Rm. 205B, New York,
                       NY 11430.
                      Phone, 718-553-2228.      Emanuel J. Mingione
                       Fax, 718-553-2229. 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 Forty-Second Annual Report (2003) 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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