Form BE-29 Foreign Ocean Carriers’ Expenses in the United States

OMB No. 0608–0012:
11/30/2012
OMB No. 0608–0012:
ApprovalApproval
Expires Expires
09/30/2009

BE–29

FORM

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

(REV
(REV.11/09)
03/04)

A. Name and address of reporter (U.S. agent)

MANDATORY–CONFIDENTIAL

FOREIGN OCEAN CARRIERS’
EXPENSES IN THE UNITED STATES
(TO BE REPORTED BY FOREIGN
CARRIERS’ U.S. AGENTS)

RETURN
REPORTS
TO

U.S. Department of Commerce
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Balance of Payments Division (BE–58)
Washington DC 20230

B. Name and address of foreign carrier for whom U.S. agent is reporting

C. Nationality of foreign carrier

D. Period covered by this report

SEE THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE REVERSE.
EXPENSES: Report in thousands of U.S. dollars

Item
no.

Item

Liner
(including passenger/
cruise)
(a)

Tramp
(dry bulk)

Tanker
(liquid bulk)

TOTAL

(b)

(c)

(d)

1

Port call expenses

$

$

$

$

2

Cargo expenses

$

$

$

$

3

Fuel expenses

$

$

$

$

4

Other vessel expenses

$

$

$

$

5

Other expenses

$

$

$

$

6

Total expenses

$

$

$

$

7

Shipping weights of cargo handled
Report weight in thousands of long tons

AUTHORITY—This
survey isis being
beingconducted
conductedpursuant
under the
authority
of the
AUTHORITY—This survey,
to the
International
Investment and
Trade In Services
Survey
Act, Pub.Survey
Law No.Act
472,
94th
Congress,
International
Investment
and Trade
in Services
(P.L.
94–472,
90
90 Stat.
20259,
U.S.C.
3101 through
as amended by Pub.
98–573
Stat.
2059,
22 22
U.S.C.
3101–3108,
as3108,
amended—hereafter
“theLaw
Act”),
and
(hereinafter
“the Act”).
the
filing of reports
is mandatory under Section 5(b)(2) of the Act (22 U.S.C.
The filing of reports for this survey is MANDATORY under Section 5(b)(2) of
3104).
Regulations for the survey may be found in 15 CFR Part 801.
the Act.
PENALTIES—Whoever
fails to report
may
be subject
to a civiland
penalty
of
This survey has been approved
by the
Office
of Management
Budget
not
less
$2,500,Reduction
and not Act
more
$25,000,
to injunctive relief
under
thethan
Paperwork
(44than
U.S.C.
3501, etand
seq.).
commanding
suchany
person
comply,ofor
both.
These is
civil
penalties
are subNotwithstanding
other to
provision
law,
no person
required
to respond
to
nor shall
a person beadjustments.
subject to a penalty
failure to comply
with a collection
of
ject
to inflationary
Thosefor
adjustments
are found
in 15 CFR
information
subject
to the
requirements
of thebePaperwork
unless
6.4.
Whoever
willfully
fails
to report shall
fined not Reduction
more thanAct
$10,000
that collection
of information
a current
valid
OMB
Control
Number.
The
and,
if an individual,
may bedisplays
imprisoned
for not
more
than
one year,
or both.
control number can be found at the top of the form.
Any officer, director, employee, or agent of any corporation who knowingly

TELEPHONE NUMBER

PERSON TO CONSULT
CONCERNING
QUESTIONS
ABOUT THIS REPORT
Enter name and address

CERTIFICATION
Authorized official’s signature

participates
in such violations,
conviction,
may
be punished
by a like
CONFIDENTIALITY—The
Act upon
provides
that your
report
to this Bureau
is
CONFIDENTIAL
andormay
be(See
used22
only
for analytical
fine,
imprisonment,
both.
U.S.C.
3105.) or statistical purposes.
your prior written
the information
filedsubject
in your report
Without
Notwithstanding
the permission,
above, a U.S.
person is not
to anyCANNOT
penalty
be presented
in a manner
thatOffice
allowsofitManagement
to be individually
Your report
for
­failure to report
if a valid
andidentified.
Budget (OMB)
conCANNOT be used for purposes of taxation, investigation, or regulation. Copies
trol
number is not displayed on the form; such a number (0608–0012) is
retained in your files are immune from legal process.
displayed
at the top of this
PENALTIES—Whoever
failsform.
to report may be subject to a civil penalty not
CONFIDENTIALITY—The
Act provides
that your report
this Bureau
is
exceeding $10,000 and to injunctive
relief commanding
such to
person
to comply,
­C
may
betoused
only
forbeanalytical
orONFIDENTIAL
both. Whoever and
willfully
fails
report
shall
fined not purposes.
more than Without
$10,000
and, ifprior
an individual,
may be imprisoned
for not more
one year,
both. Any
your
written permission,
the information
filedthan
in your
reportorCANNOT
officer,
director,inemployee,
agent
of any
who knowingly
participates
be
presented
a mannerorthat
allows
it corporation
to be individually
identified.
Your rein such
violations,
mayofbetaxation,
punishedinvestigation,
by a like fine, or
imprisonment,
port
CANNOT
beupon
usedconviction,
for purposes
regulation.
or both. (See Section 6 of the Act, 22 U.S.C. 3105.)
Copies retained in your files are immune from legal process.
Area Code

Number

Extension

The undersigned official executing this certification on behalf of the respondent company hereby certifies
that the information contained in this report is correct and complete to the best of his knowledge and belief.
Title

Date

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3 hours. This burden includes time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this ­collection
of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BE–1), U.S.
­Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; and to Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project
0608–0012, Washington, DC 20503.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Purpose of the report—reports are required to obtain data for estimating
the international transactions accounts of the United States.
Who must report—Reports are required from U.S. agents on behalf of
foreign ocean carriers. U.S. agents are steamship agents and other persons representing foreign carriers in arranging ocean transportation between U.S. and foreign ports and in arranging for port services in the United
States. U.S. agents must report all relevant transactions of which they have
knowledge. They must report information on port services provided or obtained by them for foreign carriers. They must also report, to the extent of
their knowledge, information on port services provided by third persons. For
example, agents who approve invoices for payment by foreign carriers for
port services provided by third persons should include that information in
preparing this report.
Explain briefly any omission of data (for example, no access to this information, services not purchased by foreign carrier, etc.) and if known, any
information about who could provide this data would be helpful.
Foreign carriers must report expenses for services not reported or provided by U.S. agents.
Carriers are owners or operators of dry cargo, passenger (including
cruise and combination) and tanker vessels calling at U.S. ports. The term
carriers also includes VLCC tankers discharging petroleum offshore destined for U.S. ports. Foreign carriers are those whose residence is outside
the United States.
Foreign carriers include those who own or operate their own or chartered (U.S.-flag or foreign-flag) vessels. They also include foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies operating their own or chartered vessels as carriers
for their own accounts. Where the vessels under foreign registry are operated directly by a U.S. carrier for its own account, the operation of such
vessels should be reported on Form BE–30, Ocean Freight Revenues and
Expenses of U.S. Carriers.
What must be reported
For liner services, including cruise vessels—Each U.S. agent must
report the port expenses of all liner carriers that the U.S. agent represents.
Include all the vessels of that carrier calling at U.S. ports. If the agent represents the carrier in more than one U.S. port, then a consolidated report
should be filed.
Otherwise, please advise us which port(s) you are filing for. The types
of expenses to be reported are included under specific instructions. A separate form should be used for each carrier.

For tramp and tanker services (dry or liquid bulk)—Report the expenses of 10 separate port calls for these services. The expenses of
the port calls selected should be representative of the type of service, size,
and nationality of vessel that you handle. Select the port calls for which you
have the most information. It is not necessary to include the expenses of
the same vessel making more than one port call in the given calendar year.
A separate form should be used for each port call.
Exemption—A U.S. person otherwise required to report is exempted from
reporting if the total number of port calls by foreign vessels handled in the
reporting period is fewer than 40 or total covered expenses are less than
$250,000. For example, if an agent handled fewer than 40 port calls in a
calendar year, the agent is exempted from reporting. If the agent handled
40 or more calls, the agent must report unless covered expenses for all
foreign carriers handled by the agent were less than $250,000. The determination of whether a U.S. person is exempt may be based on the judgment
of knowledgeable persons who can identify reportable transactions without
conducting a detailed manual records search.
How to report—Use this form to report information in accordance with instructions and definitions given here. Report expenses in thousands of dollars and shipping weights in thousands of long tons (2,240 pounds).
Where to send report—Return reports to U.S. Department of Commerce,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Balance of Payments Division (BE–58),
Washington, DC 20230 or file reports electronically using the eFile system.
For more information on the eFile system, visit the Bureau’s Web site www.
bea.gov.
Frequency—A report must be filled for each calendar year within 90 days
after the end of the year.
Assistance—For assistance in filing this report, call (202) 606–9589 or
606–9559 during office hours on Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. eastern time.
United States—Includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, and U.S. possessions and territories.
Foreign countries—Consists of all other countries and areas.

Nationality of carrier—Report the foreign carrier’s name and country of
residence, that is, the country in which the home office or principal place of
business is located. This may differ from the country of registration, or flag,
of the vessels operated. A separate report is required for each carrier.

in U.S. ports. Do not report fuel and oil expenses incurred in foreign ports
even though payments for them are made to U.S. companies.
Other vessel expenses—Report other (nonfuel) operating expenses
such as stores and supplies, vessel repairs, and personnel expenses in the
United States.
Other expenses—Report other U.S. expenses of foreign carriers related to U.S. operations. Report expenses—such as, but not limited to,
U.S. agents’ and brokers’ fees and commissions—and expenses related to
maintaining U.S. offices, such as rent, advertising, and wages.
Total expenses—Report all expenses incurred by foreign operators
in the United States. This should equal the sum of expenses reported
above.
Expenses not reportable on this form—Do not include insurance
for cargoes and vessels. Do not include vessel leasing expenses, capital
transfers such as vessel mortgage payments for principal and interest, depreciation expense, and payments for equipment and supplies for which
Shippers Export Declarations were filed with the U.S. Customs Service.
Shipping weight of cargo handled—Report shipping weight (in long
tons of 2,240 pounds) of total export and import cargo handled by foreign
carriers included in this report and for which cargo expenses were reported
above.

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

Types of service
Liner—Dry cargo, passenger, or combination vessels operating on a
definite, advertised schedule, giving relatively frequent sailings at regular
intervals between U.S. and foreign ports.
Tramp—Dry cargo vessels operating on an irregular or unscheduled
basis.
Tanker—Vessels ordinarily engaged in carriage of liquid cargo.
Expenses
Port call expenses—Report expenses related to calling at U.S. ports.
Include expenses for services such as pilotage; towing and tugboat services; lines; surveys; documentation; harbor fees; berth fees; etc.
Cargo expenses—Report expenses related to loading, unloading, and
storing cargo at U.S. ports. Report expenses such as those for stevedoring; for handling bulk cargoes, containers, barges, etc.; for lighterage; for
container and barge rentals; and for warehouse and terminal rentals and
expenses.
Fuel expenses—Report expenses for fuels and oils (bunkers) taken on

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FORM BE-29 (REV. 11/09)