Section 8(c) of the Shipping Act of
1984 (1984 Act) (46 U.S.C. 40502), as amended by the Ocean Shipping
Reform Act of 1998 (OSRA), requires ocean common carriers and
agreements among such carriers to file their service contracts
confidentially with the Commission and to publish certain essential
terms of those service contracts. Service contracts are written
contracts between one or more shippers or a shippers’ association
and an individual ocean common carrier or an agreement between or
among ocean common carriers in which the shipper makes a commitment
to provide a certain minimum quantity or portion of its cargo or
freight revenue over a fixed period, and the ocean common carrier
or the agreement commits to a certain rate or rate schedule as well
as defined service level, such as assured space, transit time, port
rotation, etc. Authority to file or delegate the authority to file
must be requested by a responsible official of the service contract
carrier in writing by submitting the Form FMC-83, Service Contract
Registration.
US Code:
46
USC 40502 Name of Law: Shipping Act of 1984
Given the increased use of web
services’ automated filing capabilities (accounting for 74% of all
service contract filings), the respondent burden estimate for this
information collection has decreased for Service Contracts/Formats
from 32,115 hours (2017 estimate) to 3,542 hours, a reduction of
28,573 hours. Without the regulatory relief granted in the proposed
rule, the Essential Terms Publication burden would be 41,038 hours.
With the relief provided in this rule, the Essential Terms
Publication burden estimate would decrease from 32,115 hours (2017
estimate) to 87 hours.
$543,682
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Gary Kardian 202
523-5856
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.