Federal Maritime Commission

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 Thomas Panebianco

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 Opportunity (vacancy)

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 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; 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...