Low market share agreements—exemption.

(a) Low market share agreement means any agreement among ocean common carriers which contains none of the authorities listed in § 535.502(b) and for which the combined market share, based on cargo volume, of the parties in any of the agreement's sub-trades is either: (1) Less than 30 percent, if all parties are members of another agreement in the same trade or sub-trade containing any of the authorities listed in § 535.502(b); or (2) Less than 35 percent, if at least one party is not a member of another agreement in the same trade or sub-trade containing any of the authorities listed in § 535.502(b). (b) Low market share agreements are exempt from the waiting period requirement of the Act and this part, and are effective on filing. (c) Parties to agreements may seek a determination from the General Counsel, as to whether a proposed agreement meets the general definition of a low market share agreement. (d) The filing fee for low market share agreements is provided in § 535.401(g). [69 FR 64414, Nov. 4, 2004, as amended at 70 FR 20303, Apr. 19, 2005; 90 FR 26223, June 20, 2025]