(a) Scope—(1) In general. This section prescribes rules for determining foreign base company shipping income under the provisions of section 954(f), as amended by the Tax Reduction Act of 1975.

(2) Effective date.

(i) The rules prescribed in this section apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after December 31, 1975, and to taxable years of United States shareholders (as defined in section 951 (b)) within which or with which such taxable years of such foreign corporations end.

(ii) Except as described in paragraph (b)(1)(viii) of this section, foreign base company shipping income does not include amounts earned by a foreign corporation in a taxable year of such corporation beginning before January 1, 1976. See example 1 of paragraph (g)(2) of this section for an illustration of the effect of this subparagraph on partnership income. See example 3 of paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of this section for an illustration of the effect of this subparagraph on certain dividend income. See paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section for the effect of this subparagraph on certain interest and gains.

(b) Definitions—(1) Foreign base company shipping income. The term “foreign base company shipping income” means—

(i) Gross income derived from, or in connection with, the use (or hiring or leasing for use) of any aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce (see paragraph (c) of this section),

(ii) Gross income derived from, or in connection with, the performance of services directly related to the use of any aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce (see paragraph (d) of this section),

(iii) Gross income incidental to income described in subdivisions (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph, as provided in paragraph (e) of this section,

(iv) Gross income derived from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of any aircraft or vessel used or held for use (by the seller or by a person related to the seller) in foreign commerce,

(v) In the case of a controlled foreign corporation, dividends, interest, and gains described in paragraph (f) of this section,

(vi) Income described in paragraph (g) of this section (relating to partnerships, trusts, etc.),

(vii) Exchange gain, to the extent allocable to foreign base company shipping income (see §1.952-2(c)(2)(v)(b), and

(viii) In the case of a controlled foreign corporation and at its option, dividends, interest, and gains attributable to income derived from aircraft and vessels (as defined in 26 CFR 1.954-1(b)(2) (Revised as of April 1, 1975)) by a less developed country shipping company (described in §1.955-5(b)) in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962, and before January 1, 1976. The portion of a dividend, interest, or gain attributable to such income shall be determined by the same method as that for determining the portion of a dividend, interest, or gain attributable to foreign base company shipping income under paragraphs (f)(4), (5), and (6) of this section, but without regard to paragraphs (f)(6)(ii) and (iv)(B).

(2) Foreign base company shipping operations. For purposes of sections 951 through 964, the term “foreign base company shipping operations” means the trade or business from which gross income described in subparagraph (1)(i) and (ii) of this paragraph is derived.

(3) Foreign commerce. For purposes of sections 951 through 964—

(i) An aircraft or vessel is used in foreign commerce to the extent it is used in transportation of property or passengers—

(A) Between a port (or airport) in the United States or possession of the United States and a port (or airport) in a foreign country, or

(B) Between a port (or airport) in a foreign country and another in the same country or between a port (or airport) in a foreign country and one in another foreign country.

Thus, for example, a trawler, a factory ship, and an oil drilling ship are not considered to be used in foreign commerce. On the other hand, a cruise ship which visits one or more foreign ports is considered to be so used. Notwithstanding subdivision (i)(B) of this paragraph (b)(3), foreign base company income does not include income derived from, or in connection with, the use of an aircraft or vessel in transportation of property or passengers between a port (or airport) in a foreign country and another port (or airport) in the same country if both the foreign corporation is created or organized and the aircraft or vessel is registered in that country.

(ii) The term vessel includes all water craft and other artificial contrivances of whatever description and at whatever stage of construction, whether on the stocks or launched, which are used or are capable of being used or are intended to be used as a means of transportation on water. This definition does not apply for purposes of section 956(b)(2)(G) and §1.956-2(b)(1)(ix).

(iii) The term port means any place (whether on or off shore) where aircraft or vessels are accustomed to load or unload goods or to take on or let off passengers.

(iv) Any vessel (such as a lighter or beacon lightship) which serves other vessels used in foreign commerce (within the meaning of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph) shall, to the extent so used, also be considered to be used in foreign commerce.

(v) For the meaning of the term “foreign country”, see section 638(2).

(4) Use in foreign commerce. For purposes of sections 951 through 964, the use of an aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce includes the hiring or leasing (or subleasing) of an aircraft or vessel to another for use in foreign commerce. Thus, for example, an aircraft or vessel is “used in foreign commerce” within the meaning of section 955(b)(1)(A) if such aircraft or vessel is chartered (whether pursuant to a bareboat charter, time charter, or otherwise) to another for use in foreign commerce.

(5) Related person. With respect to a controlled foreign corporation, the term “related person” means a related person as defined in §1.954-1(e)(1), and the term “unrelated person” means an unrelated person as defined in §1.954-1(e)(2).

(c) Aircraft or vessel income—(1) In general. The term “income derived from, or in connection with, the use (or hiring or leasing for use) of any aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce” as used in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section means—

(i) Income derived from transporting passengers or property by aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce and

(ii) Income derived from hiring or leasing an aircraft or vessel to another for use in foreign commerce.

(2) Illustrations. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(d) Services directly related—(1) In general. The term “income derived from, or in connection with, the performance of services directly related to the use of an aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce”, as used in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, means—

(i) Income derived from, or in connection with, the performance of services described in subparagraph (2) or (3) of this paragraph, and

(ii) Income treated as foreign base company shipping income under subparagraph (4) of this paragraph.

(2) Intragroup services. The services described in this subparagraph are services performed for a person who is the owner, lessor, lessee or operator of an aircraft or vessel used in foreign commerce, by such person or by a person related to such person, and which fall into one or more of the following categories:

(i) Terminal services, such as dockage, wharfage, storage, lights, water, refrigeration, and similar services;

(ii) Stevedoring and other cargo handling services;

(iii) Container related services (including the rental of containers and related equipment) performed either in connection with the local drayage or inland haulage of cargo or in the course of transportation in foreign commerce;

(iv) Services performed by tugs, lighters, barges, scows, launches, floating cranes, and other similar equipment;

(v) Maintenance and repairs;

(vi) Training of pilots and crews;

(vii) Licensing of patents, know-how, and similar intangible property developed and used in the course of foreign base company shipping operations;

(viii) Services performed by a booking, operating, or managing agent; and

(ix) Any service performed in the course of the actual transportation of passengers or property.

(3) Services for passenger, consignor, or consignee. The services described in this subparagraph are services provided by the operator (or person related to the operator) of an aircraft or vessel in foreign commerce for the passenger, consignor, or consignee, such as—

(i) Services described in one or more of the categories set out in subparagraphs (2)(i) through (iv) and (ix) of this paragraph,

(ii) The rental of staterooms, berths, or living accommodations and the furnishing of meals,

(iii) Barber shop and other services to passengers aboard vessels,

(iv) Excess baggage, and

(v) Demurrage, dispatch, and dead freight.

(4) The 70-percent test. At the option of the foreign corporation all the gross income for a taxable year derived by a foreign corporation from any facility used in connection with the performance of services described in one or more of the categories set out in subparagraph (2)(i) through (ix) of this paragraph is foreign base company shipping income if more than 70 percent of such gross income for either—

(i) Such taxable year, or

(ii) Such taxable year and the two preceding taxable years,

is foreign base company shipping income (determined without regard to this subparagraph). Thus, for example, if 80 percent of the gross income derived by a controlled foreign corporation at a stevedoring facility is treated as foreign base company shipping income under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, then the remaining 20 percent is treated as foreign base company shipping income under this subparagraph.

(5) Rules for applying subparagraph (4).

(i) Solely for purposes of applying subparagraphs (4) of this paragraph, foreign base company shipping income and gross income shall be deemed to include an arm's length charge (see paragraph (h)(5) of this section) for services performed by the foreign corporation for itself.

(ii) In determining whether services performed by a foreign corporation are performed at a single facility or at two or more different facilities, all of the facts and circumstances involved will be taken into account. Ordinarily, all services performed by a foreign corporation within a single port area will be considered performed at a single facility.

(iii) The application of this subparagraph and subparagraph (4) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following example in which it is assumed that the foreign corporation has chosen to apply the 70-percent test of subparagraph (4):

(6) Arm's length charge. For purposes of this section, the arm's length charge for services performed by a foreign corporation for itself shall be determined by applying the principles of section 482 and the regulations thereunder as if the party for whom the services are performed and the party by whom the services are performed were not the same person, but were controlled taxpayers within the meaning of §1.482-1(a)(4).

(7) Illustrations. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(e) Incidental income—(1) In general. Foreign base company shipping income includes all incidental income derived by a foreign corporation in the course of its active conduct of foreign base company shipping operations.

(2) Examples. Examples of incidental income derived in the course of the active conduct of foreign base company shipping operations include—

(i) Gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of assets which are related shipping assets within the meaning of §1.955A-2(b),

(ii) Income derived from temporary investments described in §1.955A-2(b)(2)(i) and (iii),

(iii) Interest on accounts receivable and evidences of indebtedness described in §1.955A-2(b)(2)(ii),

(iv) Income derived from granting concessions to others aboard aircraft or vessels used in foreign commerce,

(v) Income derived from stock and currency futures described in §1.955A-2(b)(2)(vii) and (viii),

(vi) Income derived by the lessor of an aircraft or vessel used in foreign commerce from additional rentals for the use of related equipment (such as a complement of containers), and

(vii) Interest derived by the seller from a purchase money mortgage loan in respect of the sale of an aircraft or vessel described in §1.955A-2(a)(1)(i).

(f) Certain dividends, interest, and gain—(1) In general.

(i) The foreign base company shipping income of a controlled foreign corporation (referred to in subdivision (ii)(A) of this paragraph (f)(1) as “first corporation”) includes—

(A) Dividends and interest received from foreign corporations listed in subdivision (ii) of this paragraph (f)(1), and

(B) Gain recognized from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of stock or obligations of foreign corporations listed in subdivision (ii) of this paragraph (f)(1),

but only to the extent that such dividends, interest, and gains are attributable to foreign base company shipping income of the foreign corporations listed in subdivision (ii) of this paragraph (f)(1).

(ii) The foreign corporations referred to in subdivision (i) of this paragraph (f)(1) are—

(A) Foreign corporations with respect to which the first corporation (see subdivision (i) of this paragraph (f)(1)) would be deemed under section 902(b) to pay taxes,

(B) Controlled foreign corporations which are related persons (within the meaning of section 954(d)(3)), and

(C) Less developed country shipping companies described in §1.955-5(b).

(2) Corporation deemed to pay taxes.

(i) For purposes of this paragraph, a controlled foreign corporation would be deemed under section 902(b) to pay taxes in respect of any other foreign corporation if such controlled foreign corporation would be deemed, for purposes of applying section 902(a) to any United States shareholder of such controlled foreign corporation, to pay taxes in respect of dividends which were received from such other foreign corporation (whether or not such other foreign corporation actually pays any taxes or dividends). Solely for purposes of this subdivision, each United States shareholder (within the meaning of section 951(b)) shall be deemed to be a domestic corporation.

(ii) The application of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(3) Obligation defined. For purposes of this section, the term “obligation” means any bond, note, debenture, certificate, or other evidence of indebtedness, and a debt recorded in the books of account of both the creditor and the debtor. In the absence of legal, governmental, or business reasons to the contrary, the indebtedness must bear interest or be issued at a discount.

(4) Dividends.

(i) For purposes of this paragraph and §1.954-1(b)(2), the portion of a dividend which is attributable to foreign base company shipping income is that amount which bears the same ratio to the total dividend received as the earnings and profits out of which such dividend is paid that are attributable to foreign base company shipping income bears to the total earnings and profits out of which such dividend is paid. For purposes of this subdivision, the source of the earnings and profits out of which a distribution is made shall be determined under section 316(a), except that the source of the earnings and profits out of which a distribution is made by a controlled foreign corporation with respect to stock owned (within the meaning of section 958(a)) by a United States shareholder of such controlled foreign corporation shall be determined under §1.959-3.

(ii) The application of this subparagraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(5) Interest and gain.

(i) Except as provided in subdivisions (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph, the portion of any interest paid by a foreign corporation, or gain recognized from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of stock or obligations of a foreign corporation, which is attributable to the foreign base company shipping income of such foreign corporation is that amount which bears the same ratio to such interest or gain as the foreign base company shipping income of such corporation for the period described in subparagraph (6) of this paragraph bears to its gross income for such period.

(ii) Interest which is paid by a controlled foreign corporation is attributable to such corporation's foreign base company shipping income to the same extent that such interest is allocable (under the principles of §1.954-1(c)) to its foreign base company shipping income.

(iii) If interest is paid by a foreign corporation, or if stock obligations of a foreign corporation are sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of, during a taxable year of such foreign corporation beginning before January 1, 1976, then no portion of such interest or gain is attributable to foreign base company shipping income.

(iv) Solely for purposes of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph, if a controlled foreign corporation (the “first corporation”) owns more than 10 percent of the stock of another controlled foreign corporation (the “second corporation”), then

(A) The gross income of the first corporation for any taxable year shall be—

(1) Increased by its pro rata share of the gross income of the second corporation for the taxable year which ends with or within such taxable year of the first corporation, and

(2) Decreased by the amount of any dividends received from the second corporation; and

(B) The foreign base company shipping income of the first corporation for any taxable year shall be—

(1) Increased by its pro rata share of the foreign base company shipping income of the second corporation for the taxable year which ends with or within such taxable year of the first corporation, and

(2) Decreased by the amount of any dividends received from the second corporation which constitute foreign base company income.

(v) Solely for purposes of applying subdivision (i) of this subparagraph, the district director shall make such other adjustments to the gross income and the foreign base company shipping income of any foreign corporation as are necessary to properly determine the extent to which any interest or gain is attributable to foreign base company shipping income, including proper adjustments to reflect any transaction during the test period described in subparagraph (6) of this paragraph to which section 332, 351, 354, 355, 356, or 361 applies.

(6) Test period.

(i) Except as provided in subdivisions (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph the period described in this subparagraph with respect to any foreign corporation is the 3-year period ending with the close of such corporation's taxable year preceding the year during which interest was paid or stock or obligations were sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of, or such part of such period as such corporation was in existence.

(ii) The period described in this paragraph shall not include any part of a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1976.

(iii) If interest is paid by a foreign corporation, or if stock or obligations of a foreign corporation are sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of during its first taxable year, then the period described in this paragraph shall be such first taxable year.

(iv) For purposes of subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph, the first taxable year of a foreign corporation is the later of—

(A) The first taxable year of its existence, or

(B) Its first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1975.

(g) Income from partnerships, trusts, etc—(1) In general. The foreign base company shipping income of any foreign corporation includes—

(i) Its distributive share of the gross income of any partnership, and

(ii) Any amounts includible in its gross income under section 652(a), 662(a), 671, or 691(a),

to the extent that such items would have been includible in its foreign base company shipping income had they been realized by it directly.

(2) Illustrations. The application of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(3) Other income. Except as expressly provided in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, foreign base company shipping income does not include any amount includible in the gross income of a controlled foreign corporation under part I of subchapter J (section 641 and following, relating to estates, trusts, and beneficiaries), and gains from the sale or other disposition of any interest in an estate or trust.

(h) Additional rules—(1) Gross income. For purposes of this section and §1.955A-2, the gross income of a foreign corporation (whether or not a controlled foreign corporation) shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 952 and §1.952-2. Thus, for example, section 883 (relating to exclusions from gross income of foreign corporations) is inapplicable under §1.952-2 (a)(1) and (c)(1). In addition, the gross income of a controlled foreign corporation shall be determined, with respect to a United States shareholder of such controlled foreign corporation, by excluding distributions received by such corporation which are excluded from gross income under section 959(b) with respect to such shareholder.

(2) Earnings and profits. For purposes of this section, the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation (whether or not a controlled foreign corporation) shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 964 and the regulations thereunder.

(3) No double counting. No item of gross income shall be counted as foreign base company shipping income under more than one provision of this section. For example, If $200 of gross income derived from the use of a lighter is treated as foreign base company shipping income under both paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, then such $200 is counted only once as foreign base company shipping income. A taxpayer may choose under which provision to include an item of income.

(4) Losses.

(i) Generally, if a controlled foreign corporation has losses which are properly allocable to foreign base company shipping income, the extent to which such losses are deductible from such income shall be determined by treating such foreign corporation as a domestic corporation and applying the principles of section 63. See §§1.954-1(c) and 1.952-2(b). Thus for example, losses from sales or exchanges of capital assets are allowable only to the extent of gains from such sales or exchanges.

(ii) If gain from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of any stock or obligation would be treated (to any extent) as foreign base company shipping income, then loss from such sale, exchange, or other disposition is properly allocable to foreign base company shipping income (to the same extent).

(iii) In determining the extent to which any loss on the disposition of a qualified investment in foreign base company shipping operations is deductible from foreign base company shipping income, it is immaterial that such loss is taken into account under §1.955A-1(b)(1)(ii) as a reduction in the amount of the decrease in (withdrawal from) qualified investments in foreign base company shipping operations.

(5) Hypothetical charges. Under paragraph (d)(5)(i) of this section and §1.955A-2(a)(4)(ii)(A), gross income may be deemed to include hypothetical arm's length charges for services performed by a controlled foreign corporation for itself. Under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, certain of these hypothetical charges may be treated as foreign based company shipping income. Such hypothetical charges are deemed to be income solely for purposes of applying the “extent of use” tests prescribed by paragraph (d)(4) of this section and §1.955A-2(a)(4). Charges for services performed by a controlled foreign corporation for itself shall in no event be included in income for any other purposes.

[T.D. 7894, 48 FR 22523, May 19, 1983]