46 CFR 550.202: Information the Commission may order
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section lets the Commission order certain parties to furnish information. The purpose is to help decide whether conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States exist, or to help formulate regulations after such a finding. The Commission may do so when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings.
Applies toThe section applies to owners, operators and charterers in the affected trade, shippers, shippers' associations and ocean transportation intermediaries in the affected trade, and any marine terminal operator.
What it says
The Commission may order information when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings, to help determine whether unfavorable conditions exist or to help formulate regulations after a finding.
“the Commission may, when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings, order any:”
The Commission may order an owner, operator, or charterer in the affected trade to furnish statistics for a representative period on passengers or cargo carried to and from the United States, by type, source, value, and direction.
46 CFR 550.202(a)(1)“Statistics for a representative period showing passengers or cargo carried to and from the United States in the affected trade on vessels owned, operated or chartered by it, by type, source, value, and direction;”
The Commission may order an owner, operator, or charterer in the affected trade to furnish information for a specified future period on prospective vessel activities, including projected sailings, anticipated costs, taxes or other charges, and expected subsidies or other payments from foreign authorities.
46 CFR 550.202(a)(3)“Information for a specified future period on the prospective activities of vessels which it owns, operates or charters or plans to own, operate or charter”
The Commission may order a shipper, shippers' association, or ocean transportation intermediary in the affected trade to furnish information for a representative period on shipments made, including copies of bills of lading and other shipping documents.
46 CFR 550.202(b)(1)“including furnishing copies of bills of lading and other shipping documents;”
The Commission may order a shipper, shippers' association, or ocean transportation intermediary in the affected trade to furnish the amount of brokerage, ocean transportation intermediary compensation or other charges collected or paid in connection with shipments in the affected trade.
46 CFR 550.202(b)(3)“Amount of brokerage, ocean transportation intermediary compensation or other charges collected or paid in connection with shipments in the affected trade;”
The Commission may order any marine terminal operator to furnish its marine terminal facilities agreements with any ocean carrier in the affected trade, whether or not they are on file with the Commission.
46 CFR 550.202(c)(1)“Marine terminal facilities agreements, whether or not on file with the Commission, into which it has entered with any ocean carrier in the affected trade;”
Common questions
Can the Commission order information without further proceedings?
Yes. The Commission may order the information when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings.
“the Commission may, when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings, order any:”
What information can the Commission order from shippers?
A shipper, shippers' association, or ocean transportation intermediary in the affected trade may be ordered to furnish information on shipments made, on waivers or exemptions from foreign cargo requirements, and on brokerage or other charges. The Commission may also order other information it considers relevant.
“Information relating to the application for, grant of, or securing of waivers or other exemption from requirements imposed by foreign governments that cargo move on national-flag, conference, or non-conference vessels;”
What can the Commission require from marine terminal operators?
It may order any marine terminal operator to furnish marine terminal facilities agreements with any ocean carrier in the affected trade. It may also order information on rate differences for agreements authorizing preferential treatment or lease terms.
“Marine terminal facilities agreements, whether or not on file with the Commission, into which it has entered with any ocean carrier in the affected trade;”
The text of 46 CFR 550.202
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Type of information
In order to aid in the determination of whether conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States exist, or in order to aid in the formulation of appropriate regulations subsequent to a finding that conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States exist, the Commission may, when it deems necessary or appropriate, and without further proceedings, order any:
(a) Owner, operator, or charterer in the affected trade to furnish any or all of the following information:
(1) Statistics for a representative period showing passengers or cargo carried to and from the United States in the affected trade on vessels owned, operated or chartered by it, by type, source, value, and direction;
(2) Information for a representative period on the activities of vessels owned, operated, or chartered, which shall include sailings to and from United States ports, costs incurred, taxes or other charges paid to authorities, and subsidies or other payments received from foreign authorities;
(3) Information for a specified future period on the prospective activities of vessels which it owns, operates or charters or plans to own, operate or charter, to and from United States ports, which shall include projected sailings, anticipated costs, taxes or other charges to be paid to authorities, and expected subsidies or other payments to be received from foreign authorities; and
(4) Such other information that the Commission considers relevant to discovering or determining the existence of general or special conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States.
(b) Shipper, shippers' association, or ocean transportation intermediary in the affected trade to furnish any or all of the following information:
(1) Information for a representative period showing shipments made, type of cargo, commodity, carrier and vessel on which shipment was made, including furnishing copies of bills of lading and other shipping documents;
(2) Information relating to the application for, grant of, or securing of waivers or other exemption from requirements imposed by foreign governments that cargo move on national-flag, conference, or non-conference vessels;
(3) Amount of brokerage, ocean transportation intermediary compensation or other charges collected or paid in connection with shipments in the affected trade; and
(4) such other information that the Commission considers relevant to discovering or determining the existence of general or special conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States.
(c) Any marine terminal operator to furnish any or all of the following information:
(1) Marine terminal facilities agreements, whether or not on file with the Commission, into which it has entered with any ocean carrier in the affected trade;
(2) Information for a representative period showing the difference between the rates agreed to for use of its facilities by any ocean carrier serving the affected trade pursuant to an agreement authorizing preferential treatment or lease terms and those rates which would otherwise have applied to such services or leases.
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.