Tonnage Reporting Fine Reminder

Did you know there is a $5,000 fine for not reporting your tonnage to the Institute for Water Resources?

Please find a letter I received detailing the fines here.

It states, “that owners, agents, master, and clerks of vessels and other craft plying upon the navigable waters of the United States, and all individuals and corporations engaged in transporting their own goods upon the navigable waters of the United States shall furnish such statements relative to vessels, passengers, freight, and tonnage as may be required by the Secretary of the Army…”

It further reads, “All information and data sent… is required to be held in confidence and will not be released outside of the federal government in order to maintain the confidentiality of proprietary information” Failure to provide statements required are subject to the following penalties:

• For each and every offense, a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two months.
• A civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation.
• Denial of passage through locks and canals.

If you are unsure if you should be reporting, I would like to share with you the below information IRPT published in February of 2015. I encourage you to take a look at the ENG forms as well.

IRPT Members can log on to their account to view the tonnage reporting webinar using the drop-down box.

If you are still unsure whether you should be reporting, you can contact me directly or of course, contact the Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center at (504) 862-1414.