federal_register: 96-22398
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| document_number | title | type | abstract | publication_date | pub_year | pub_month | html_url | pdf_url | agency_names | agency_ids | excerpts | regulation_id_numbers |
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| 96-22398 | Tolls for Use of Canal; Rules for Measurement of Vessels | Proposed Rule | The Panama Canal Commission (PCC) proposes increasing the general toll rates for the Canal and applying certain rules of measurement for on-deck container capacity. Current toll rates will not produce revenues sufficient to cover costs of operations and maintenance and PCC's capital program for plant replacement, expansion and modernization. For FYs 1996-1998 alone, the toll deficiencies projected are $2.2, $34.5 and $69.7 million, respectively. To address this, the PCC here proposes a two-phase toll- rate increase--8.2 percent in FY 1997 and 7.5 percent in FY 1998-- coupled with an amendment to apply rules of measurement to on-deck container capacity as well as the volume of the vessel itself. If for any reason rules of measurement are not applied as proposed here, the general toll-rate increase will be adjusted to 8.7 and 7.9 percent, respectively. The proposed increases comply with the statutory requirement that tolls be set at rates that produce revenues sufficient to cover Canal costs of operation and maintenance, including capital for plant replacement, expansion and improvements, and working capital. PCC anticipates that, in FYs 1996-1998 alone, it will experience, in the aggregate, a significant deficit resulting from increased traffic demands on capacity and the resultant capital program. To meet this challenge, PCC's Board of Directors approved management's recommendation to increase and accelerate the capital program to ensure a Canal operating capacity that meets future traffic demands and an acceptable long-term quality of transit service. More specifically, the PCC's capital program for FYs 1996-1998 totals $248 million; an additional $228 million is programmed for FYs 1999-2000. This capital program will augment and advance the implementation of many modernization and improvement programs in response to projected customer requirements. The maximum general toll rate increases that could result from this proposal are 8.7 percent, effective January 1, 1997, and 7.9 percent, effective January 1, 1998. However, if Canal measurement rules are adopted so as to apply to on-deck container capacity, the general toll rate increases will be 8.2 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. In 1994, PCC completely revised the Rules for Measurement of Vessels for the Canal in 35 CFR Part 135. This change simplified PCC's measurement procedures and brought measurement rules at the Canal in line with the worldwide standard of tonnage measurement. These new rules are referred to collectively as PC/UMS. This proposal will allow PCC to charge its customers more equitably for revenue producing capacity. Specifically, the adjustments proposed here include in the PC/UMS Net Tonnage a portion of the volume of the maximum capacity of containers carried on or above the upper deck (VMC). The proposed rule authorizes PCC to determine which ships qualify for the assessment and to calculate their VMC. The VMC multiplied by an appropriate factor, described below, produces the portion to be included in the PC/UMS Net Tonnage. This notice also announces the availability from PCC of an analysis showing the basis and justification for the proposed changes, solicits written data, views, or arguments from interested parties, and sets the time and place for two public hearings, one in the United States and one in Panama. | 1996-09-03 | 1996 | 9 | https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/1996/09/03/96-22398/tolls-for-use-of-canal-rules-for-measurement-of-vessels | https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-09-03/pdf/96-22398.pdf | Panama Canal Commission | 400 | The Panama Canal Commission (PCC) proposes increasing the general toll rates for the Canal and applying certain rules of measurement for on-deck container capacity. Current toll rates will not produce revenues sufficient to cover costs of operations... |