64362 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 233 / Monday, December 7, 2009 / The Regulatory Plan 

FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION 

(FMC) 

Statement of Regulatory and 

Deregulatory Priorities 

The Federal Maritime Commission’s 

regulatory objectives are guided by the 

Agency’s vision statement. The 

Commission’s vision is to administer 

the shipping statutes as effectively as 

possible to provide fairness and 

efficiency in the United States foreign 

maritime commerce. The Commission’s 

regulations are designed to implement 

each of the statutes the FMC administers 

in a manner consistent with this vision 

in a way that minimizes regulatory costs 

and fosters economic efficiencies. 

The Commission has implemented its 

Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2010 

through 2015. As a result of the strategic 

planning process, the Commission’s 

mission statement, strategic goals and 

performance measures have been 

refined to better focus the FMC’s efforts 

in achieving its mission and promote 

efficiency in the Commission’s business 

processes. In working toward these 

objectives, the Commission will initiate 

rulemakings to address changing 

industry conditions or to implement 

technological advancements to 

minimize regulatory costs. 

The Commission is in the process of 

reviewing its regulations to ensure 

alignment with emerging industry 

trends and business practices, 

particularly as they relate to ocean 

transportation intermediaries, marine 

terminal operators and vessel-operating 

common carriers. For administrative 

purposes, the FMC amended its 

regulations to reflect the codification of 

shipping laws in Title 46 of the United 

States Code and revised Commission 

rules to adjust civil monetary penalties 

for inflation. The FMC also commenced 

a rulemaking to assess the continued 

need for a marine terminal agreement 

exemption (46 CFR 535.308) in light of 

recent industry changes and existing 

exemptions for marine terminal services 

agreements and marine terminal 

facilities agreements under 46 CFR 

535.309 and 535.310. 

The Commission also oversees the 

financial responsibility of passenger 

vessel operators to indemnify 

passengers and other persons in cases of 

death or injury and to indemnify 

passengers for nonperformance of 

voyages. The Commission is presently 

evaluating the passenger vessel operator 

program, particularly with regard to 

passenger vessel financial responsibility 

requirements. 

The principal priority of the Agency’s 

current regulatory plan will be to 

continue to assess major existing 

regulations for ongoing need, burden on 

the regulated industry, and clarity. The 

Commission receives requests from 

segments of the shipping industry with 

regard to their tariff obligations under 

the Commission’s regulations. The 

Commission invites comments on such 

requests and evaluates those comments. 

If the Commission determines to act 

favorably on the requests, it is possible 

that there could be specific rulemaking 

proposals presented for the 

Commission’s consideration. 

The Commission’s review of existing 

regulations exemplifies its objective to 

regulate fairly and effectively while 

imposing a minimum burden on the 

regulated entities, following the 

principles stated by the President in 

Executive Order 12866. 

Description of the Most Significant 

Regulatory Actions 

The Commission currently has no 

actions under consideration that 

constitute ‘‘significant regulatory 

actions’’ under the definition in 

Executive Order 12866. 

BILLING CODE 6730–01–S 


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