Supporting Statement A for 2133-0514 1.29.2026

Department of Transportation

Maritime Administration (MARAD)

Information Collection Request (ICR)

OMB 2133-0514

(Determination of Fair and Reasonable Rates for Carriage of Agriculture Cargoes on U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels—46 CFR Part 382)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

INTRODUCTION

This submission is to request a three-year approval from the office of Management and Budget for the information collection entitled OMB 2133-0514 (Determination of Fair and Reasonable Rates for Carriage of Agriculture Cargoes on U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels—46 CFR Part 382), which expires on January 31, 2026. Since the last renewal, there were less respondents due to a reduction in the fair and reasonable guideline rate calculation requests by the United States Department of Agriculture and Agency for International Development for MARAD to process. As such this collection will be submitted as an extension without change of a currently approved collection.

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

46 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 55305 and the Food Security Act of 1985 require that at least 50% of U.S. government-sponsored agriculture bulk and packaged cargoes be shipped on U.S.-flag vessels, to the extent that such vessels are available at fair and reasonable rates. Pursuant to 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 382, Government agencies must comply with cargo preference laws and submit data to MARAD on U.S. and foreign-flag carriage of preference cargoes under their control. Part 382 requires U.S. operators to submit specific data to MARAD regarding fair and reasonable guideline rates for the carriage of preference cargoes on U.S.-flag vessels. The collection of vessel data contributes to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of National Security by supporting efforts to protect commercial shipping for U.S. Flag vessels.

The information requested on Form MA-1025 Vessel Data (MA-1025) and MA-172 Financial Report of Ship Carriers, or the Capital Cost Form (MA-172) corresponds to information required in 46 CFR Part 382.2(b) (1-7). On the other hand, data requested on form MA-1026 Post Voyage Report (MA-1026) corresponds to information required in 46 CFR Part 382.2(c) (1-4).

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

This collection of information requires U.S.-flag vessel operators to submit vessel-operating costs and capital costs data to MARAD officials on an annual basis. MARAD uses this collection to calculate fair and reasonable rates for U.S.-flag vessels engaged in the carriage of preference cargoes.

Form MA-1025 captures data regarding a vessel’s measurements (i.e., the vessel’s Panama Canal or Suez Canal tonnage, vessel deadweight, fuel consumption, etc.). Form MA-172 provides the capital cost expenses for the vessel and facilitates the calculation of the vessel’s average daily capital costs. This information is critical to determining the fair and reasonable cost of a specific voyage. In addition, form MA-1026 is used to collect details and costs of specific voyages for specific vessels. U.S.-flag operators are required to submit a completed form MA-1026 to MARAD officials on a semi-annual basis. This historical guideline rate information is used to review trends and costs for the shipment of preference cargoes from specific origins to specific destinations (e.g., the average waiting time to load or discharge at a port, etc.).

3. Automation or Use of Information Technology

MARAD provides a total electronic option for this collection and continues to encourage U.S.-flag operators to file forms associated with this collection by email. To date, 100% of these operators file their cargo preference data electronically.

Many of the particulars provided on form MA-1025 remain unchanged from year to year. Therefore, a vessel operator can easily enter required the data once and update it annually, as required, which saves them time and money.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

No other Federal agency is involved with the collection of this type of data, namely, vessel operating costs and vessel capital costs. A survey of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance does not reveal a program similar to this collection.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

The information collected has a minimal impact on small businesses, since applicants generally exceed the Small Business Administration’s criteria for small business. Every effort has been made to design this information collection to minimize the burden. MARAD encourages the filing of vessel data & capital cost by email.

6. Impact of Not Conducting or Less Frequent Collection of Information

Vessel operators are required to submit their completed form MA-1025 no later than April 30 annually, or whenever they wish to have a new vessel participate in the cargo preference trades. The information is updated at least once every twelve (12) months. Data must be submitted for each vessel participating in the cargo preference trades. Vessel operators are asked to verify the data on an annual basis. If there is no change in previously submitted data (i.e., vessel characteristics or capital costs, etc.), the operator only needs to sign the form. Since the data involves fluctuating costs, less frequent collection would lead to inaccuracies.

This information collection is used to determine the average daily operating and capital costs, average daily capital costs, as well as the average vessel speed and fuel consumption for each of our four categories. Collected data helps to determine fair and reasonable guideline rates.

Form MA-1026 is required to be filed between January 1 and July 1 of each year for voyages that were completed within the past twelve (12) months. The data is analyzed twice a year, and the reported costs are used to determine the load port costs, load port stevedoring costs, discharging costs and canal transits for voyages to and from specific regions.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines 5 CFR 1320.5

There are no special circumstances that require the collection of information to be conducted in a manner described below:

• Requiring respondents to prepare a written response in fewer than 30 days after receipt of a collection instrument;

• Requiring respondents to submit more than one original copy of any document;

• Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• Requiring the use of any statistical data that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

• Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• Requiring any pledge of confidentiality; or

• Requiring respondents to submit any proprietary or trade secrets.

8. Public Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Outside Consultation

MARAD published a 60-day notice and request for comments on this information collection in the Federal Register (FR 54860, Vol. 90, No 227) on November 28, 2025, indicating comments should be submitted on or before January 27, 2026. No comments were received. A 30-day notice will now be published to solicit comments.

MARAD also consulted with shipping agencies focused on enhancing foreign market differential and improving cost averaging methodologies when developing and maintaining this collection.

9. Explanation of Any Payments or Gifts to Respondents

No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality and Protection of Privacy

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, data submissions are considered confidential; commercial or financial information is not to be disclosed to the public (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4). A provision is included in the regulation under which data is held in confidence.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Cost

1. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

A total ten (10) vessel operators will take one (1) hour to complete form MA-1025 once annually for a total ten (10) hours. A total ten (10) vessel operations will each take ten (10) hours to complete the MA-172 once annually for a total one hundred (100) hours. Additionally, two (2) vessel owners will take four (4) hours to complete form MA-1026 three (3) times annually for a total 24 hours. Therefore, the total combined respondents associated with this collection is 22, the total responses are 26, while the total burden hours are 134, which can be calculated as shown in the table below:

Type of Respondent	Total Respondents		Total Responses per Respondent		Total Responses		Average Time Taken to Respond (Hour)		Total Burden Hours
MA-1025	10	*	1	=	10	*	1	=	10
MA-172	10		1		10		10		100
MA-1026	2		3		6		4		24
COMBINED TOTALS	22		5		26		15		134

2. Estimated Annualized Cost Burden

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS)¹ estimates that the average hourly wage for Auditors

and Accountants (13-2011) is $ 44.96. When combined the total compensation rate of 29%², the

annualized hourly rate is $ 58.00. Therefore, the total annualized cost burden for all tasks associated with preparing and submitting responses to this collection is $ 7,772.00, which can be calculated as shown in the table below:

Title and Code of Respondents	Hourly Wage	Compensation Rate of 29%		Number of Employees		Total Annualized Burden Hours		Total Annualized Cost Burden
Auditors and Accountants (13-2011)	$ 44.96	$ 58.00	*	1	*	134	=	$ 7,772.00

13. Estimate of the Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and/or Recordkeepers

There is no capital, start-up, maintenance or purchase of service costs associated with this information collection.

14. Estimate of Federal Government Costs

According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)³ wage tables, the hourly rate

for a (GS 14, Step 10) Federal employees with a Washington-Baltimore-Arlington

locality pay is $ 88.76. When combined with the Federal Employee Compensation rate

of 31%⁴, the total hourly wage rate for this employee is $116.28. This employee will take

one hour to complete all tasks related to the processing of ten (10) completed form MA-1025 for a total cost $ 1,162.80. This employee will also take one (1) hour to complete all tasks related to processing ten (10) completed form MA-172 for a total cost of $ 1,162.20. In addition, this employee will also take 153 hours to complete all tasks related to disseminating material, processing responses, and capturing data related to two (2) completed form MA-1025 three (3) times a year, for a total $ 106,745.04. Therefore, the total combined Federal Government cost associated with this collection is $ 109,745.04, which can be calculated as shown in the table before:

FTE Grade and Step & CRF Program Related Task	Hourly Wage	Average Hourly Wage Rate with 31% Compensation		Total Employees		Total Time for Per application ( Avg. Hours)		Total Applications/ Total Responses		Total Federal Government Wages
GS 14 (Step 10): All tasks related to processing MA-1025	$ 88.76	$ 116.28	*	1	*	1	*	10	=	$ 1,162.80
GS 14 (Step 10): All tasks related to processing MA-172	$ 88.76	$ 116.28		1		1				$ 1,162.80
GS 14 (Step 10): All tasks related to processing MA-1026	$ 88.76	$ 116.28		1		153		6		$ 106,745.04
TOTAL COMBINED FEDERAL WAGES										$ 109,070.64

15. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments

Since the last renewal the total the total respondents, responses, and burden hours have reduced from 35, 62, and 170 hours respectively, to 22, 26, and 134 hours.

16. Publication of Data Collection Results

Collected data will not be published.

17. Display of the OMB Expiration Date

MARAD is not seeking such approval to avoid displaying the OMB expiration date for this collection.

18. Exception to this Certification Statement

There are no exceptions to the certificate statement.

1 The hourly wage estimate is taken from current BLS tables: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/000000 .

2 Per BLS Employee Compensation Memo, the total compensation rate for the private sector is 29%, :https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf

3 The 2025 Federal Government hourly wage estimates are taken from OPM: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/25Tables/html/DCB_h.aspx

4 Per BLS Employee Compensation Memo, the total compensation rate for the Federal Government is 31%, :https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf