Title 46

SECTION 535.306

535.306 Nonexclusive transshipment agreements - exemption.

§ 535.306 Nonexclusive transshipment agreements - exemption.

(a) A nonexclusive transshipment agreement is a transshipment agreement by which one ocean common carrier serving a port of origin by direct vessel call and another such carrier serving a port of destination by direct vessel call provide transportation between such ports via an intermediate port served by direct vessel call of both such carriers and at which cargo will be transferred from one to the other and which agreement does not:

(1) Prohibit either carrier from entering into similar agreements with other carriers;

(2) Guarantee any particular volume of traffic or available capacity; or

(3) Provide for the discussion or fixing of rates for the account of the cargo interests, conditions of service or other tariff matters other than the tariff description of the service offered as being by means of transshipment, the port of transshipment and the participation of the nonpublishing carrier.

(b) A nonexclusive transshipment agreement is exempt from the filing requirements of the Act and of this part, provided that the tariff provisions set forth in paragraph (c) of this section and the content requirements of paragraph (d) of this section are met.

(1) The through rate;

(2) The routings (origin, transshipment and destination ports); additional charges, if any (i.e. port arbitrary and/or additional transshipment charges); and participating carriers; and

(3) A tariff provision substantially as follows:

The rules, regulations, and rates in this tariff apply to all transshipment arrangements between the publishing carrier or carriers and the participating, connecting or feeder carrier. Every participating connecting or feeder carrier which is a party to transshipment arrangements has agreed to observe the rules, regulations, rates, and routings established herein as evidenced by a connecting carrier agreement between the parties.

(d) Nonexclusive transshipment agreements must contain the entire arrangement between the parties, must contain a declaration of the nonexclusive character of the arrangement and may provide for:

(1) The identification of the parties and the specification of their respective roles in the arrangement;

(2) A specification of the governed cargo;

(3) The specification of responsibility for the issuance of bills of lading (and the assumption of common carriage-associated liabilities) to the cargo interests;

(4) The specification of the origin, transshipment and destination ports;

(5) The specification of the governing tariff(s) and provision for their succession;

(6) The specification of the particulars of the nonpublishing carrier's concurrence/participation in the tariff of the publishing carrier;

(7) The division of revenues earned as a consequence of the described carriage;

(8) The division of expenses incurred as a consequence of the described carriage;

(9) Termination and/or duration of the agreement;

(10) Intercarrier indemnification or provision for intercarrier liabilities consequential to the contemplated carriage and such documentation as may be necessary to evidence the involved obligations;

(11) The care, handling and liabilities for the interchange of such carrier equipment as may be consequential to the involved carriage;

(12) Such rationalization of services as may be necessary to ensure the cost effective performance of the contemplated carriage; and

(13) Such agency relationships as may be necessary to provide for the pickup and/or delivery of the cargo.

(e) No subject other than as listed in paragraph (d) of this section may be included in exempted nonexclusive transshipment agreements.

(f) The filing fee for optional filing of nonexclusive transshipment agreements is provided in § 535.401(g).