Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Maritime Commission invites comments on the continuing information collection (extension with no changes) listed below in this notice.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before May 25, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments to: Derek O. Scarbrough, Chief Information Officer, Office of Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20573, (Telephone: (202) 523-5800), cio@fmc.gov. Please reference the information collection's title and OMB number in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To obtain additional information, copies of the information collection and instructions, or copies of any comments received, contact Jane Gregory, Management Analyst, Office of Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20573, (Telephone: (202) 523-5800), jgregory@fmc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Federal Maritime Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing information collection listed in this notice, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be included or summarized in our request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the relevant information collection. All comments are part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Please do not include any confidential or inappropriate material in your comments. We invite comments on: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. An automated form for the license application, FMC-18, is currently in development. A rule will be published as soon as the automated form is available, for use at the option of the applicant.

Information Collection Open for Comment

Title: 46 CFR 515—Licensing, Financial Responsibility Requirements and General Duties for Ocean Transportation Intermediaries and Related Forms.

OMB Approval Number: 3072-0018 (Expires July 31, 2007).

Abstract: Section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (the “Act”), 46 U.S.C. 40101-41309 (2006), as modified by Pub. L. 105-258 (The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998) and Section 424 of Pub. L. 105-383 (The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998), provides that no person in the United States may act as an ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) unless that person holds a license issued by the Commission. The Commission shall issue an OTI license to any person that the Commission determines to be qualified by experience and character to act as an OTI. Further, no person may act as an OTI unless that person furnishes a bond, proof of insurance or other surety in a form and amount determined by the Commission to ensure financial responsibility. The Commission has implemented the provisions of section 19 in regulations contained in 46 CFR 515, including financial responsibility forms FMC-48, FMC-67, FMC-68, and FMC-69, Optional Rider Forms FMC-48A and FMC-69A, and its related license application form, FMC-18.

Current Actions: There are no changes to this information collection, and it is being submitted for extension purposes only.

Type of Review: Extension.

Needs and Uses: The Commission uses information obtained under this part and through Form FMC-18 to determine the qualifications of OTIs and their compliance with shipping statutes and regulations and to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under the Act by ensuring that OTIs maintain acceptable evidence of financial responsibility. If the collection of information were not conducted, there would be no basis upon which the Commission could determine if applicants are qualified for licensing.

Frequency: This information is collected when applicants apply for a license or when existing licensees change certain information in their application forms.

Type of Respondents: The types of respondents are persons desiring to obtain a license to act as an OTI. Under the Act, OTIs may be either an ocean freight forwarder, a non-vessel-operating common carrier, or both.

Number of Annual Respondents: The Commission estimates a potential annual respondent universe of 4,765 entities.

Estimated Time Per Response: The time per response for completing Application Form FMC-18 averages 2 hours. The time to complete a financial responsibility form averages 20 minutes.

Total Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the total annual person-hour burden at 3,595 person-hours.