The rules in this part govern procedure before the Federal Maritime Commission, hereinafter referred to as the “Commission,” under the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, Merchant Marine Act, 1936, Shipping Act of 1984, as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, Administrative Procedure Act, and related acts, except that subpart R of this part does not apply to proceedings subject to sections 7 and 8 of the Administrative Procedure Act, which are to be governed only by subparts A to Q inclusive, of this part. They shall be construed to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every proceeding. To this end, all persons involved in proceedings conducted under the rules of this part shall be required to consider at an early stage of the proceeding whether resort to alternative dispute resolution techniques would be appropriate or useful. [Rule 1.]

(a) Requirement for filing. Documents relating to any matter pending before the Commissioners for decision or to any matter pending before the Commission which is likely to come before the Commissioners for decision, whether or not relating to proceedings governed by this part, must be filed with the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission. Such documents should not be filed with or separately submitted to the offices of individual Commissioners. Distribution to Commissioners and other agency personnel is handled by the Office of the Secretary to ensure that persons in decision-making and advisory positions receive identical copies of submissions in a uniform and impersonal manner and to avoid the possibility of ex parte communications within the meaning of § 502.11. These considerations apply to informal and oral communications as well, such as requests for expedited consideration.

(b) Date and time of filing. (1) Documents may be hand-delivered at the Commission during normal business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

(2) Except with respect to initial filing of complaints pursuant to §§ 502.62 and 502.63, and claims pursuant to §§ 502.301 and 502.302, the date of filing shall be either the date on which the pleading, document, or paper is physically delivered to the Commission by a party, the date on which a party certifies it to have been deposited in the mail or delivered to a courier, or the date of e-mail transmission.

(c) Place of filing. Except for exhibits filed pursuant to § 502.118(b)(4) and petitions for review of final agency orders served on the Commission pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2112(a), all documents required to be filed in, and correspondence relating to proceedings governed by this part must be addressed and delivered to “Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 N. Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20573-0001” or to [email protected].

(d) Service of petition for review of Commission order. Petitions for review of final agency orders served on the Commission pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2112(a) must be addressed and delivered to “General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 N. Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20573-0001.”

(e) Number of copies. Parties filing documents in proceedings before the Commission or an administrative law judge must file an original, signed document and five (5) copies, and, if possible, a PDF of the document. The PDF document should be sent by e-mail to [email protected] or submitted on an electronic storage device (such as compact disc or USB flash drive).

(f) E-mail transmission of filings. (1) Initial filing of complaints and claims pursuant to §§ 502.62-502.63 and 502.301-502.302 must be accomplished in the traditional manner on paper, rather than by e-mail.

(2) Pursuant to § 502.5 of this subpart, confidential filings must be accomplished in the traditional manner on paper, rather than by e-mail.

(3) If a filing is submitted electronically as a PDF attached to an e-mail, the original, signed document, and five (5) copies must be received by the Secretary within seven working days. The e-mail transmitting the PDF copy of a document must include a certification by the filing party that the electronic copy is a true and correct copy of the paper original, and that the paper signed original and five (5) copies are being filed with the Secretary of the Commission. The e-mail Subject Line must include the docket number of the proceeding and be sent to [email protected].

(g) Filing after announcement of Commission meeting prohibited. No filings relating to matters scheduled for a Commission meeting will be accepted by the Secretary if submitted subsequent to public announcement of the particular meeting, except that the Commission, on its own initiative, or pursuant to a written request, may in its discretion, permit a departure from this limitation for exceptional circumstances. (See § 503.82(e) of this chapter.)

(h) Return of rejected filings. Any pleading, document, writing, or other paper submitted for filing which is rejected because it does not conform to the rules in this part will be returned to the sender.

(i) Continuing obligation to provide contact information. All parties and representatives are under a continuing obligation to provide the Commission and all other parties in a proceeding with accurate and current contact information including a street address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

(j) Form of documents. All papers to be filed under the rules in this part must be clear and legible, dated, show the docket number and title of the proceeding, document title, and include the title, if any, and address of the authorized signer or representative. An original signed in ink must be provided. Text shall appear on only one side of the paper and must be double spaced except that quotations of fifty or more words should be single-spaced and indented on the left and right without quotation marks. The paper must be strong and durable, of letter size (8 1/2 × 11 in. or 215.9 × 279.4 mm) or A4 size (8.27 × 11.69 in. or 210 × 297 mm), with a margin of at least one inch on all four sides. Documents must be printed in clear type, and the type size, including footnotes and endnotes, must not be smaller than 12-point.

(k) Discovery materials excluded from filing requirement. (1) The following discovery requests and responses must not be filed with the Secretary until they are used in the proceeding, or the Commission or presiding officer orders filing:

(i) Notice and transcript of depositions;

(ii) Interrogatories;

(iii) Requests for documents or tangible things or to permit entry onto designated land or other property;

(iv) Requests for admission; and

(v) Expert witness reports.

(2) The party that served the notice of deposition or discovery papers must preserve and ensure the integrity of original transcripts and discovery papers for use by the Commission or the presiding officer. A party that wants to use any part or all of discovery requests and responses in the proceeding must include the part or all of the documents in an appendix to be filed with the motion or other paper that refers to those documents. A party filing an appendix exceeding 100 pages should file an original and two (2) copies on paper and, if possible, also file such appendix by e-mail or on an electronic storage device. [Rule 2.]

Persons named in a rule or order shall notify the Commission during business hours on or before the day on which such rule or order becomes effective whether they have complied therewith, and if so, the manner in which compliance has been made. [Rule 3.]

All rules or orders issued by the Commission in any proceeding covered by this part shall, unless otherwise specifically provided, be signed by the Secretary of the Commission in the name of the Commission. [Rule 4.]

Except as otherwise provided in the rules of this part, all filings that contain information for which confidential treatment is sought or information previously designated as confidential pursuant to §§ 502.13, 502.141(j)(1)(vii), 502.208, or any other rules of this part, or for which a request for protective order pursuant to § 502.141(j) is pending, are subject to the following requirements:

(a) Two versions of filings. Two versions of documents must be filed if a document:

(1) Contains information previously designated by the Commission or presiding officer as confidential; or

(2) Contains information for which confidential treatment is sought. Except as specified below, both versions must be filed in accordance with the requirements of § 502.2.

(i) Confidential version. The confidential filing must include a cover page marked “Confidential-Restricted.” The specific confidential information must be conspicuously and clearly marked on each page, for example by highlighting or bracing. If confidentiality will end on a date certain or upon the occurrence of an event, this must be stated on the cover, e.g., “CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL [DATE],” or “CONFIDENTIAL DURING JUDICIAL REVIEW.” The confidential version of a document may be provided to the presiding officer by email but should not be filed with the Office of the Secretary by email.

(ii) Public version. Within three business days of filing a confidential version of a filing, a public version must be filed. The public version must indicate on the cover page and on each affected page “Public Version—confidential materials excluded.” The public version must clearly indicate any information withheld, for example with blackout or braces, and its pagination and depiction of text on each page must be identical to that of the confidential version. For example, the confidential filing may read: “On January 1, 2005, complainant entered into a {25} year lease with respondent for a monthly rent of {$1,000}.” The public version would read: “On January 1, 2005, complainant entered into a { } year lease with respondent for a monthly rent of { }.” Public versions of confidential filings may be filed with the Secretary and presiding officer by email.

(iii) Exhibits. Confidential information in exhibits should be marked as specified above. If marking within the text is not feasible, individual pages may be replaced in the public version with a page indicating that confidential material is excluded. Entire exhibits should not be excluded, only those pages containing confidential material.

(b) Motion for confidential treatment. If confidentiality is sought for a filing containing information not previously designated as confidential by the Commission or presiding officer, the confidential filing must be accompanied by a motion justifying confidential treatment. This motion must identify the specific information in a document for which protection is sought and show good cause by demonstrating that the information is a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information pursuant to § 502.141(j)(1)(vii). The burden is on the party that wants to protect the information to show good cause for its protection. A motion is not required for information, including personal privacy and financial account numbers, redacted pursuant to § 502.13, Privacy protection for filings made with the Commission.

(c) Use of confidential information. Confidential treatment afforded by this section is subject to the proviso that any information designated as confidential may be used by the administrative law judge or the Commission if deemed necessary to a decision in the proceeding. [Rule 5.]

(a) If a party is represented by an attorney or other person qualified to practice before the Commission under the rules in this part, each pleading, document or other paper of such party filed with the Commission shall be signed by at least one person of record admitted to practice before the Commission in his or her individual name, whose address shall be stated. Except when otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute, such pleading, document or paper need not be verified or accompanied by affidavit. The signature of a person admitted or qualified to practice before the Commission constitutes a certificate by the signer that the signer has read the pleading, document or paper; that the signer is authorized to file it; that to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief formed after reasonable inquiry, the filing is well grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law; and that it is not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation. For a willful violation of this section, a person admitted or qualified to practice before the Commission may be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.

(b) If a party is not represented by a person admitted or qualified to practice before the Commission, each pleading, document or other paper of such party filed with the Commission shall be signed and verified under oath by the party or by a duly authorized officer or agent of the party, whose address and title shall be stated.

(c) Wherever, under any rules of this part, any matter is required or permitted to be supported, evidenced, established, or proved by the sworn declaration, verification, certificate, statement, oath, or affidavit, in writing of the person making the same (other than a deposition under§ 502.143 or § 502.144), such matter may, with like force and effect, be supported, evidenced, established, or proved by the unsworn declaration, certificate, verification, or statement, in writing of such person which is subscribed by such person, as true under penalty of perjury, in substantially the following form:

(1) If executed without the United States: “I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.”

(2) If executed within the United States, its territories, possessions, or commonwealths: “I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.” [Rule 6.]

Every document, exhibit, or other paper written in a language other than English and filed with the Commission or offered in evidence in any proceeding before the Commission under this part or in response to any rule or order of the Commission pursuant to this part, shall be filed or offered in the language in which it is written and shall be accompanied by an English translation thereof duly verified under oath to be an accurate translation. [Rule 7.]

Except in affirming a prior denial or where the denial is self-explanatory, prompt written notice will be given of the denial in whole or in part of any written application, petition, or other request made in connection with any proceeding under this part, such notice to be accompanied by a simple statement of procedural or other grounds for the denial, and of any other or further administrative remedies or recourse applicant may have where the denial is based on procedural grounds. [Rule 8.]

The rules in this part may, from time to time, be suspended, amended, or revoked, in whole or in part. Notice of any such action will be published in the Federal Register. [Rule 9.]

Except to the extent that such waiver would be inconsistent with any statute, any of the rules in this part, except §§ 502.11 and 502.221, may be waived by the Commission or the presiding officer in any particular case to prevent undue hardship, manifest injustice, or if the expeditious conduct of business so requires. [Rule 10.]

(a) No person who is a party to or an agent of a party to any proceeding as defined in § 502.61 or who directly participates in any such proceeding and no interested person outside the Commission shall make or knowingly cause to be made to any Commission member, administrative law judge, or Commission employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of any such proceeding, an ex parte communication relevant to the merits of the proceeding;

(b) No Commission member, administrative law judge, or Commission employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of any agency proceeding, shall make or knowingly cause to be made to any interested persons outside the Commission or to any party to the proceeding or its agent or to any direct participant in a proceeding, an ex parte communication relevant to the merits of the proceeding. This prohibition shall not be construed to prevent any action authorized by paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this section;

(c) “Ex parte communication” means an oral or written communication not on the public record with respect to which reasonable prior notice to all parties is not given, but it shall not include requests for status reports or communications regarding purely procedural matters or matters which the Commission or member thereof, administrative law judge, or Commission employee is authorized by law or these rules to dispose of on an ex parte basis;

(d) Any Commission member, administrative law judge, or Commission employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of any proceeding who receives, or who makes or knowingly causes to be made, an ex parte communication shall promptly transmit to the Secretary of the Commission:

(1) All such written communications;

(2) Memoranda stating the substance of all such oral communications; and

(3) All written responses and memoranda stating the substance of all oral responses to the materials described in paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section;

(e) The Secretary shall place the materials described in paragraph (d) of this section in the correspondence part of the public docket of the proceeding and may take such other action as may be appropriate under the circumstances;

(f) Upon receipt of an ex parte communication knowingly made or knowingly caused to be made by a party to a proceeding, the Commission or the presiding officer may, to the extent consistent with the interests of justice and the policy of the statutes administered by the Commission, require the party to show cause why his or her claim or interest in the proceeding should not be dismissed, denied, disregarded, or otherwise adversely affected on account of the making of such communication;

(g) An ex parte communication shall not constitute a part of the record for decision. The Commission or the presiding officer may, to the extent consistent with the interests of justice and the policy of the statutes administered by the Commission, consider a violation of paragraph (b) of this section sufficient grounds for a decision adverse to a party who has knowingly caused such violation to occur and may take such other action as may be appropriate under the circumstances. [Rule 11.]

In proceedings under this part, for situations which are not covered by a specific Commission rule, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will be followed to the extent that they are consistent with sound administrative practice. [Rule 12.]

(a) Redacted filings. Unless the Commission or presiding officer orders otherwise, in an electronic or paper filing that contains an individual's social-security number, taxpayer-identification number, or birth date, the name of an individual known to be a minor, or a financial-account number, a party or nonparty making the filing may include only:

(1) The last four digits of the social-security number and taxpayer-identification number;

(2) The year of the individual's birth;

(3) The minor's initials; and

(4) The last four digits of the financial-account number.

(b) Exemptions from the redaction requirement. The redaction requirement does not apply to the following:

(1) The record of an administrative or agency proceeding;

(2) The record of a state-court proceeding;

(3) The record of a court or tribunal, if that record was not subject to the redaction requirement when originally filed; and

(4) A filing covered by paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Filings made under seal. The Commission or presiding officer may order that a filing be made under seal without redaction. The Commission or presiding officer may later unseal the filing or order the person who made the filing to file a redacted version for the public record.

(d) Protective orders. For good cause, the Commission or presiding officer may by order in a case:

(1) Require redaction of additional information; or

(2) Limit or prohibit a nonparty's remote electronic access to a document filed with the Commission.

(e) Option for additional unredacted filing under seal. A person making a redacted filing may also file an unredacted copy under seal. The Commission must retain the unredacted copy as part of the record.

(f) Option for filing a reference list. A filing that contains redacted information may be filed together with a reference list that identifies each item of redacted information and specifies an appropriate identifier that uniquely corresponds to each item listed. The list must be filed under seal and may be amended as of right. Any reference in the case to a listed identifier will be construed to refer to the corresponding item of information.

(g) Waiver of protection of identifiers. A person waives the protection of this rule as to the person's own information by filing it without redaction and not under seal. [Rule 13.]

The Commission may call informal public hearings, not required by statute, to be conducted under the rules in this part where applicable, for the purpose of rulemaking or to obtain information necessary or helpful in the determination of its policies or the carrying out of its duties, and may require the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence to the extent permitted by law. [Rule 141.]