The Federal Maritime Commission, the US Federal Agency responsible for oversight of ocean commerce between the United States and foreign countries also has jurisdiction over confidential service contracts between Shippers and Ocean Carriers.  Part of the regulatory responsibility of the FMC is to ensure that Ocean Carriers are providing service to Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) or legally qualified Non Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs).  The FMC’s Bureau of Enforcement holds Ocean Carriers like Seaboard Marine responsible for qualifying customers to ensure compliance with these FMC regulations.  Customer Profiles are an integral part of understanding who Seaboard Marine is doing business with to ensure our compliance with FMC regulations.

Seaboard Marine is also part of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program.  As a partner in this program, CBP works with Seaboard Marine to strengthen international supply chains and improve border security.  Seaboard Marine receives many benefits through the C-TPAT program that help improve the processing of shipments that are carried for our customers.  As a partner in the C-TPAT program Seaboard Marine must have screening procedures for customers to ensure that a customer is a legitimate business and/or could be a security risk.  Seaboard Marine is required to follow written procedures for screening customers that help us identify specific information that could trigger additional scrutiny.  Our Customer Profile requirements support these requirements to remain in good standing in C-TPAT.

In addition, Seaboard Marine has a broader corporate responsibility for sanctions compliance to ensure that we are conducting business with entities that are not on a sanctions list such as OFAC or BIS or other nations sanctions list for the countries we serve.  Customer Profiles ensure that we meet these regulatory responsibilities.

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