Government Seeks Input on Renewing Farm Cargo Shipping Rate Rules
Published Date: 11/28/2025
Notice
Summary
The Maritime Administration wants your thoughts on renewing a form that helps set fair shipping rates for U.S.-flag ships carrying farm goods. Fewer people are filling out this form now, so the paperwork is lighter. If you’re involved in shipping or farming, speak up by January 27, 2026, to help keep rates fair and the process smooth!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Annual Cost Report Requirement
If you own or operate a U.S.-flag commercial vessel, you must submit annual operating and capital cost data to the Maritime Administration under OMB control number 2133-0514. The agency estimates 22 respondents, 26 responses, 1–10 hours per response, and a total annual burden of 134 hours, with the collection filed annually.
Paperwork Burden Decreased
MARAD says the public paperwork burden has decreased since the last renewal because fewer respondents are filing the form. That means a lighter annual information-collection workload for the remaining U.S.-flag vessel owners and operators.
Data Used To Set Guideline Rates
MARAD uses the submitted operating and capital cost data to determine fair and reasonable guideline rates for carriage of preference (agriculture) cargoes on U.S.-flag commercial vessels. The information collection (46 CFR part 382) supports those rate determinations.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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