# 46 CFR § 535.304: Agency agreements—exemption

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.304

## Section

- **Citation:** 46 CFR § 535.304
- **Heading:** Agency agreements—exemption
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 46—Shipping > CHAPTER IV—FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION > SUBCHAPTER B—REGULATIONS AFFECTING OCEAN SHIPPING IN FOREIGN COMMERCE > PART 535—OCEAN COMMON CARRIER AND MARINE TERMINAL OPERATOR AGREEMENTS SUBJECT TO THE SHIPPING ACT OF 1984 > Subpart C—Exemptions

## Text

(a) An agency agreement is an agreement between an ocean common carrier and another ocean common carrier or marine terminal operator, acting as the former's agent, under which the agent solicits and books cargoes and signs contracts of affreightment and bills of lading on behalf of the ocean common carrier. Such an agreement may or may not also include husbanding service functions and other functions incidental to the performance of duties by agents, including processing of claims, maintenance of a container equipment inventory control system, collection and remittance of freight and reporting functions.
(b) An agency agreement as defined above is exempt from the filing requirements of the Act and of this part, except those:
(1) Where a common carrier is to be the agent for a competing ocean common carrier in the same trade; or
(2) That permit an agent to enter into similar agreements with more than one ocean common carrier in a trade.
(c) The filing fee for optional filing of agency agreements is provided in § 535.401(g).

## Nearby sections

- [46 CFR § 535.101 § 535.101 Authority.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.101.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.102 § 535.102 Purpose.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.102.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.103 § 535.103 Policies.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.103.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.104 § 535.104 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.104.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.201 § 535.201 Subject agreements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.201.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.202 § 535.202 Non-subject agreements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.202.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.301 § 535.301 Exemption procedures.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.301.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.302 § 535.302 Exemptions for certain modifications of effective agreements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.302.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.303 § 535.303 Husbanding agreements—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.303.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.304 § 535.304 Agency agreements—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.304.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.305 § 535.305 Equipment interchange agreements—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.305.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.306 § 535.306 Nonexclusive transshipment agreements—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.306.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.307 § 535.307 Agreements between or among wholly-owned subsidiaries and/or their parent—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.307.md)
- [46 CFR § 535.309 § 535.309 Marine terminal services agreements—exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.309.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-46-535.304. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.