Compliance
The Bureau of Enforcement is actively involved in fostering industry compliance with the requirements of the Shipping Act and the other statutes and regulations within the Commission's authority. Through interaction with the Commission's other operating bureaus and outreach to the shipping public and the regulated industry, the Bureau promotes voluntary compliance and a nondiscriminatory regulatory process.
Bureau staff work closely with the Commission’s Area Representatives and the Bureau of Certification and Licensing to educate and bring OTI service providers into compliance with the Shipping Act's requirements. A dynamic component of the Commission’s compliance program is the Bureau’s compliance audit of licensed OTIs to assist forwarders and NVOCCs in complying with the statutory requirements and the Commission’s rules and regulations. Conducted primarily by mail, this program directly engages the OTI’s management in a quick, high-level review of the sufficiency of the OTI’s bonding level, tariff and current operating status to determine whether additional actions are needed to comply with Commission requirements. The Bureau then works with the OTI, tariff publisher and bonding company, as necessary, to assist in bringing the OTI into compliance. This audit program also includes review of entities holding themselves out as vessel-operating common carriers (VOCCs) where Commission staff can find no indication of current vessel operations.