终止港口限制和美国日本贸易要求程序命令.docx

1、终止港口限制和美国日本贸易要求程序命令联邦海事委员会 港口限制和美国/日本贸易要求文案号96-20 发布日期：2011年1月26日 委员会：Richard A. LIDINSKY, Jr., Chairman; Joseph E. BRENNAN, Rebecca F. DYE, Michael A. KHOURI专员背景 终止程序命令 这个程序是根据商船法19款 46 42101（“第19款”）发起的，以响应美国和日本外贸远洋运载贸易中明显不利的状况。 1997年2月26日，经过广泛调查后，委员会发表了一项最终规则：裁定美国远洋航运中在日本港口的不利条件。见：港口限制和美国/日本贸易要求，2

2、7 S.R.R. 913 （FMC1997年）（以下简称1997年最终规则）。 该规则已于1997年9月4日生效，但被委员会1997年11月13日暂停，（美日）全面的政府-政府和产业-政府协定签署后，预计将大幅改革日本港口。见：端口限制与美国/日本贸易要求，27 S.R.R. 1301, 1302（FMC1997年）。 1999年5月，该委员会指出，日本港口运输部门的改革步伐和进展情况是缓慢的，尽管日本政府承诺开放市场和加强问责制。见：港口限制和美国/日本贸易要求2 美国/日本贸易，28 S.R.R. 822（FMC1999年）。2001年8月9日，委员会发布对1999年5月令规定要求报告进行

3、了修正。见：日本港口的实践，29 S.R.R. 296（FMC2001年）。委员会下令川崎汽船，商船三井和日本邮船公司向美国联邦委员会从2001年11月7日起报备副本，集体或单独，（包括）任何内阁命令或部级条例，通知，告示，或由日本运输部或国土运输建设省颁发的规章，日本港口运输企业法的实施和修订。委员会还取消了1999年5月28日的命令中关于提交报告的要求，并下令半年度报告由美国总统轮船有限公司，马士基海陆（现马士基航运公司），川崎汽船;商船三井和日本邮船报备。 该委员会最近收到马士基航运公司发起，川崎汽船，商船三井联和日本邮船共同要求该程序终止的意见。 讨 论从收到的所有承运人定期报告，表明

4、在2001年8月9日命令后，无法从其半年度报告要求程序得到潜在收益，亦无法保证继续使受影响的远洋承运人造成的监管负担是正确的。 委员会已收到报告，表明2001年和2002年在两个领域进行了一些改进： 1。 “事先协商”在日本的承运人服务制度的变化：1997年，委员会发现，一个重要的美日贸易的不利状况是，要求航运公司在作出重大或次要运作改变时，必须先获得日本港口运输协会（JHTA）“事先协商”制度的许可。见：港口限制和美国/日本贸易要求3 在“事先协商”的过程中，JHTA有绝对决定权，保留和不可上诉的裁定业务变更不许可，而使得JHTA能够惩罚反对者，收取费用，业务限制，在其成员之间分配工作。（F

5、MC 97年最终规则） 船公司报告说，有效的2002年8月，日本沿岸的JHTA和工会达成了一项协议，以修订和简化“事先协商”进程。它限制了“事先协商”范围，仅三种类型的“重大”问题，改变了集装箱码头的工作体系。所有其他的改变被认为是“次要的”，并在一周内会获得同意。自从改变以来，船公司对“事先协商”制度没有了争议。 2。星期日和晚上工作时间 此外，一家非日本实体已成功进入日本码头市场。 2005年，PSA International Pte, Ltd.，类似美国总统轮船有限公司（由新加坡政府拥有和控制），成为第一个获准在日本码头（Hibiki集装箱码头）操作的非日本实体公司。当这些程序开始，该

6、委员会收到装卸货物限制小时的投诉。在星期日或许多节假日船舶一般无法卸载，集装箱码头中午十二时至下午一时及下午4:30后关闭，JHTA和日本工会在2001年4月，10月达成协议，委员会2002年收到报告，这是第一次日本港口364天，每天24小时服务。 自委员会2002年收到报告起，日本港口和码头限制没有新的报告。报告指出，随着经济环境变化，以及仍然存在的障碍，非日本实体已经减少提供装卸作业或在日本装卸码头营运服务的兴趣。 见：港口限制和美国/日本贸易要求3 结 论委员会将继续关注新加入者在日本码头服务行业的要求，事先协商制度.* 因此，它是指令，委员会2001年8月9日进行的程序和报告要求已终止

7、。委员会已确定，不过，当然现在最有效的行动是终止当前的程序和它的半年度报告的要求，同时鼓励业界及市民举报任何航运新的限制，或在美日纠纷中影响航运行业。委员会将保持注意：损害美日之间的外贸远洋运输的不利因素。 由委员会。 Karen V. Gregory专员*我们注意到，日本另一大贸易伙伴，已与这些做法类似的关注。见，例如，欧洲联盟，欧盟建议在日本，规制改革在47-48（10月16，2007），可在http:/www.mofa.go.jp/region /europe/eu/overview/dereg0710.PDF格式。FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSIONPORT REST

8、RICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES/JAPAN TRADEDocket No. 96-20Served: January 26, 2011BY THE COMMISSION: Richard A. LIDINSKY, Jr., Chairman; Joseph E. BRENNAN, Rebecca F. DYE, Michael A. KHOURI, Commissioners.BACKGROUNDOrder Discontinuing ProceedingThis proceeding was initiated under sec

9、tion 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 46 U.S.C. 42101 (“Section 19”), in response to apparent unfavorable conditions in the foreign oceanborne trade between the United States and Japan. On February 26, 1997, following an extensive investigation, the Commission issued a final rule finding unfavorable c

10、onditions facing U.S. ocean shipping interests in Japanese ports. See Port Restrictions and Requirements in the United States/Japan Trade, 27 S.R.R. 913 (FMC 1997) (hereinafter 1997 Final Rule).The rule took effect on September 4, 1997, but was suspended by the Commission on November 13, 1997, after

11、 the signing of comprehensive government-to-government and industry-government accords to substantially reform Japanese port practices. See Port Restrictions and Requirements in the United States/Japan Trade, 27 S.R.R. 1301, 1302 (FMC 1997).In May 1999, the Commission noted that the pace of progress

12、 and reform in Japans port transportation sector had been slow, despite commitments of the Government of Japan to open markets and increase accountability. See Port Restrictions and Requirements inPORT RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES/JAPAN TRADE 2the United States/Japan Trade, 28

13、S.R.R. 822 (FMC 1999). On August 9, 2001, the Commission amended the reporting requirements established in the Commissions May 1999 Order. See Japanese Port Practices, 29 S.R.R. 296 (FMC 2001). The Commission ordered Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., and Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Lt

14、d. to file with the Commission by November 7, 2001, collectively or individually, copies of any cabinet orders or ministerial ordinances, notifications, notices, or regulations issued by the Japanese Ministry of Transportation or the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, implementing or in

15、terpreting Japans revised Port Transportation Business Act. The Commission also rescinded the requirement for the submission of reports as required in the Commissions Order of May 28, 1999, and ordered that semi-annual reports be filed by American President Lines, Ltd.; A. P. Moller Maersk Sea-Land

16、(now Maersk Line); Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.; Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.; and Nippon Yusen Kaisha.The Commission recently received comments from Maersk Line and joint comments from Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., and Nippon Yusen Kaisha supporting the termination of this pro

17、ceeding.DISCUSSIONThe periodic reports received from all the carriers following the August 9, 2001 Order suggest that the potential benefits of continuing the proceeding and its semi-annual reporting requirements no longer justify the accompanying regulatory burdens on the affected ocean carriers.Th

18、e Commission has received reports that showed some improvements in 2001 and 2002 in two areas of concern that have been the subject of this proceeding:1. “Prior consultation” system for carrier service changes in Japan: In 1997, the Commission found that a significant unfavorable condition in the U.

19、S.-Japan trades was the requirement that shipping lines obtain permission of the Japan Harbor Transportation Association (JHTA) through a system of “prior consultation” before making major or minor operational changes. The CommissionPORT RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES/JAPAN TRADE

20、 3observed that under this “prior consultation” process, the JHTA had absolute and unappealable discretion to withhold permission for proposed operational changes, and that the JHTA used that discretion to punish its detractors, extract fees, impose operational restrictions, and allocate work among

21、its member companies. See 1997 Final Rule.The shipping lines reported that, effective August 2002, the JHTA and Japanese longshore unions reached an agreement to revise and simplify the prior consultation process. It limited the scope of events requiring prior consultation to three types of “major”

22、matters that change the work system at a container berth. All other changes are considered “minor,” and receive consent within a week. In the years since that change, the shipping lines have reported no disputes arising from the prior consultation system.2. Sunday and evening working hoursIn additio

23、n, one non-Japanese entity has succeeded in entering the Japanese terminal market. In 2005, PSA International Pte, Ltd. which, like American President Lines, Ltd., is owned and controlled by the Government of Singapore, became the first non-Japanese entity permitted to operate a terminal in Japan, t

24、he Hibiki Container Terminal. : When these proceedings began, the Commission received complaints of restrictive hours for unloading cargo. Ships generally could not be unloaded on Sundays or numerous holidays, and container terminals closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. Following agr

25、eements between JHTA and Japanese labor unions in April and October 2001, the Commission received reports in 2002 that Japanese ports for the first time had moved to 364-day per year and 24-hour service.Neither new issues nor new progress with Japans port and terminal restrictions have been reported

26、 to the Commission since that time. Reports indicate that changed economic circumstances, along with the remaining obstacles, have diminished non-Japanese entities interest in providing stevedoring or terminal operation services in Japan.PORT RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES/JAPAN

27、TRADE 4CONCLUSIONThe Commission continues to have concerns regarding the Japanese licensing requirements for new entrants in the terminal services industry and the system of prior consultation.*THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, That this proceeding and the reporting requirements in the Commissions August 9,

28、 2001 Order in this proceeding are discontinued. The Commission has determined, however, that the most efficient course of action now is to terminate the current proceeding and its semi-annual reporting requirements, while encouraging the industry and shipping public to report any new restrictions o

29、r disputes affecting shipping in the U.S.-Japan trades as they arise. The Commission will remain watchful for unfavorable conditions that harm the foreign oceanborne trade between the United States and Japan.By the Commission.Karen V. GregorySecretary* We note that another major Japanese trading partner has had similar concerns with these practices. See, e.g., European Union, EU Proposals for Regulatory Reform in Japan, at 47-48 (Oct. 16, 2007), available at http:/www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/eu/overview/dereg0710.pdf.