(a) Form and amount. Except as otherwise provided in this part, no person may advertise, hold oneself out, or act as an ocean transportation intermediary unless that person furnishes a bond, proof of insurance, or other surety in a form and amount determined by the Commission to insure financial responsibility. The bond, insurance, or other surety covers the transportation-related activities of an ocean transportation intermediary.

(1) Any person in the United States advertising, holding oneself out, or acting as an ocean freight forwarder as defined in §515.2(m)(1) shall furnish evidence of financial responsibility in the amount of $50,000.

(2) Any person in the United States advertising, holding oneself out, or acting as an NVOCC as defined in §515.2(m)(2) shall furnish evidence of financial responsibility in the amount of $75,000.

(3) Any registered NVOCC, as defined in §515.2(r), shall furnish evidence of financial responsibility in the amount of $150,000. Such registered NVOCC shall be strictly responsible for the acts and omissions of its employees and agents, wherever they are located.

(b) Group financial responsibility. When a group or association of ocean transportation intermediaries accepts liability for an ocean transportation intermediary's financial responsibility for such ocean transportation intermediary's transportation-related activities under the Act, the group or association of ocean transportation intermediaries shall file a group bond form, insurance form or guaranty form, clearly identifying each ocean transportation intermediary covered, before a covered ocean transportation intermediary may provide ocean transportation intermediary services. In such cases, a group or association must establish financial responsibility in an amount equal to the lesser of the amount required by paragraph (a) of this section for each member, or $3,000,000 in aggregate. A group or association of ocean transportation intermediaries may also file an optional bond rider as provided in §515.25(b).

(c) Common trade name. Where more than one person operates under a common trade name, separate proof of financial responsibility is required covering each corporation or person separately providing ocean transportation intermediary services.

(d) Federal military and civilian household goods. Any person which exclusively transports used household goods and personal effects for the account of the Department of Defense, or for the account of the federal civilian executive agencies shipping under the International Household Goods Program administered by the General Services Administration, or both, is not subject to the requirements of subpart C of this part, but may be subject to other requirements, such as alternative surety bonding, imposed by the Department of Defense, or the General Services Administration.

[64 FR 11171, Mar. 8, 1999, as amended at 69 FR 17945, Apr. 6, 2004; 80 FR 68735, Nov. 5, 2015; 85 FR 9683, Feb. 20, 2020]