§ 203.3 Opposition to applications. ( a ) *Required documents.* A person seeking to oppose an application shall file with the Secretary of the Administration, and concurrently serve upon the applicant, a petition for leave to intervene, together with an answer, within the time period specified in the Federal Register notice of the application. Normally, twenty days will be provided.
( b ) *Petition for leave to intervene.* The petition for leave to intervene shall specify the basis upon which such person asserts a right to intervene and shall set forth with particularity: ( 1 ) The number and type of U.S.-flag vessels currently operated by the person seeking intervention in the trade or trade route to which the application pertains.
( 2 ) The frequency of sailings of vessels operated by such person in the trade or trade route to which the application pertains in the 36 calendar months immediately preceding the date of the application.
( 3 ) The specific ports of call conducted by such person in the trade or trade route to which the application pertains in the 36 calendar months immediately preceding the date of the application.
( 4 ) The average annual carriage by such person for the past 36 months on the trade route to which the application pertains.
( 5 ) If applicable, specific information detailing firm and definite plans for the inauguration of a new service, including, as appropriate, but not limited to, approval by the board of directors or general partners, membership in applicable conference agreements, office openings or the retention of agents in the proposed service area, acquisition of vessels and related equipment, subsidy applications, applications for any needed Government approvals or advertisement for the proposed service.
( 6 ) Such other information as the person believes should be considered in a determination of such person's right to intervene.
( c ) *Answer.* ( 1 ) The answer shall be simultaneously filed with the petition for leave to intervene and shall specify the basis upon which such person asserts the application should be denied or granted subject to modifications.
( 2 ) The answer shall set forth with particularity: ( i ) The ground upon which opposition is based;
( ii ) The factual matters which such person believes must be determined by the Administration;
( iii ) The legal matters which such person believes must be determined by the Administration;
( iv ) For each factual and legal matter raised such person's position and basis therefor; and
( v ) The precise nexus between each factual and legal matter raised and the decision of the Administration.
( d ) *Right to intervene in Opposition to applications.* ( 1 ) Leave to intervene in opposition to applications under section 605(c) of the Act will only be granted to operators of U.S.-flag vessels, and only to the extent, as demonstrated by the petition for leave to intervene, that such person provides an existing service, or that such person has firm and definite plans to provide a service, by a showing that its vessels operate in the same trade or on the same trade route as that proposed by the applicant and so operate in a manner competitive with the specific service proposed by the applicant. Although persons seeking intervention need not call at the same specific ports proposed by the applicant by direct vessel calls, any filing based on intermodal service in opposition to an application shall demonstrate that such person regularly competes by intermodal service for cargo moving to or from ports in the service proposed by the applicant. The burden of demonstrating competition between the vessels of the person seeking intervention and those of the applicant will be with the person seeking such intervention. Leave to intervene will not be granted to those conducting a competing service on an intermittent or *de minimis* basis.
( 2 ) Leave to intervene in opposition to applications under section 805(a) of the Act will be granted, as provided in the statute, to every person, firm, or corporation “having any interest” in such application.