Firstbay Tariff Services LLC dedicates to providing professional service to NVOCC/VOCC and freight forwarding companies. We assist our

clients to publish their tariffs in a convenient and cost-effective means, and maintain continued compliance with the regulations of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

FMC License and Registration

If you want to provide transportation service in the U.S., you must be licensed or registered with FMC, or in other words, you don’t register or are not licensed in the U.S., you may not provide service in the U.S.

We help Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) prepare FMC license and NVOCC applications. We help our customers to prepare the application and other documents, advice necessary rectification and addition, file them with FMC, follow up and keep you well advised of its progress. We will provide you with an honest and experienced advice on how best to approach the tough application process.

If you are a company located or incorporated in the U.S., there are two types of OTI licenses granted by the FMC. If you provide ocean transportation service to passengers or cargo between the U.S and foreign countries, but not own a vessel by yourself, then you need a non-vessel operating common carrier license (NVOCC License); If you provide dispatch shipments from the U.S through a common carrier, book space for shipments on behalf of shippers, and process related documents, you need Ocean Freight forwarder license. The notable difference is that NVOCC license allow you to issue the house bill of lading, and the Ocean Freight Forwarder does not.

If you are a company not located or incorporated in the U.S., you can choose either register with or licensed by the FMC as NVOCC. Licensed NVOCC only required to post an NVOCC bond with amount of USD 75,000, while the registered one must be bonded with an amount of USD 150,000, to pay approximately double premium annually compared with the registered one.

VOCC/NVOCCs Tariff Publication

FMC requires Each Vessel Operating Common Carrier (VOCC) or Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) ( Exemptions and exceptions see (46 CFR Part 520.13) who service the foreign commerce of the U.S to publish a tariff. Tariff must meet the requirements enforced by FMC in 46 CFR Part 520.

Tariff means a publication containing the actual rates, charges, classifications, rules, regulations and practices of a common carrier or a conference of common carriers. We provide our clients with an affordable online tariff publication service that is quite easy and effective; please contact us for more information.

OTI and Customary bonds

We have cooperation with the surety and insurance agency to procure bond for our clients with competitive price.

OTI BONDS FOR US-BASED NVOCCS/OFFS

OTI BOND FOR FMC-REGISTERED NON-US-BASED NVOCCS

OTI BOND FOR OTI-LICENSED NON-US-BASED NVOCCS

CUSTOMS BONDS

Consultation Service

FMC regulations are complicated and amended periodically, especially when a company provide foreign conference service in the U.S. at the beginning time, ensuring all your activities strictly complied with these regulations are quite important. Please contact us, our advise let you understand these rules and regulations accurately.