120 STAT. 1538
PUBLIC LAW 109–304—OCT. 6, 2006
‘‘40903. ‘‘40904.
Suspension or revocation of license. Compensation by common carriers.
‘‘§ 40901. License requirement ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A person in the United States may not act as an ocean transportation intermediary unless the person holds an ocean transportation intermediary’s license issued by the Federal Maritime Commission. The Commission shall issue a license to a person that the Commission determines to be qualified by experience and character to act as an ocean transportation intermediary. ‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—A person whose primary business is the sale of merchandise may forward shipments of the merchandise for its own account without an ocean transportation intermediary’s license. ‘‘§ 40902. Financial responsibility ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A person may not act as an ocean transportation intermediary unless the person furnishes a bond, proof of insurance, or other surety— ‘‘(1) in a form and amount determined by the Federal Maritime Commission to insure financial responsibility; and ‘‘(2) issued by a surety company found acceptable by the Secretary of the Treasury. ‘‘(b) SCOPE OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.—A bond, insurance, or other surety obtained under this section— ‘‘(1) shall be available to pay any penalty assessed under section 41109 of this title or any order for reparation issued under section 41305 of this title; ‘‘(2) may be available to pay any claim against an ocean transportation intermediary arising from its transportationrelated activities— ‘‘(A) with the consent of the insured ocean transportation intermediary and subject to review by the surety company; or ‘‘(B) when the claim is deemed valid by the surety company after the ocean transportation intermediary has failed to respond to adequate notice to address the validity of the claim; and ‘‘(3) shall be available to pay any judgment for damages against an ocean transportation intermediary arising from its transportation-related activities, if the claimant has first attempted to resolve the claim under paragraph (2) and the claim has not been resolved within a reasonable period of time. ‘‘(c) REGULATIONS ON COURT JUDGMENTS.—The Commission shall prescribe regulations for the purpose of protecting the interests of claimants, ocean transportation intermediaries, and surety companies with respect to the process of pursuing claims against ocean transportation intermediary bonds, insurance, or sureties through court judgments. The regulations shall provide that a judgment for monetary damages may not be enforced except to the extent that the damages claimed arise from the transportationrelated activities of the insured ocean transportation intermediary, as defined by the Commission. ‘‘(d) RESIDENT AGENT.—An ocean transportation intermediary not domiciled in the United States shall designate a resident agent
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