Billing Code 3510-06-P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Services Surveys: BE-30,
Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers, and
the BE-37, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators’ Foreign Revenues and Expenses
AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed
and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is
to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed information collection
must be received on or before [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS AFTER DATE OF
PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to Christopher Stein,
Chief, Services Surveys Branch, Bureau of Economic Analysis, by email to
christopher.stein@bea.gov or PRAcomments@bea.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number
0608-0011 in the subject line of your comments. Do not submit Confidential Business
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed to Christopher Stein, Chief,
Services Surveys Branch, Bureau of Economic Analysis; 301-278-9189; or via email at
christopher.stein@bea.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I.

Abstract
The Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers

(BE-30) collects data from U.S. ocean freight carriers (owners and operators) that engaged in the
international transportation of freight, cargo, and/or passengers between U.S. and foreign ports or
between foreign ports, if total covered revenues or total covered expenses were $500,000 or
more in the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year.
The Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators’ Foreign Revenues and Expenses (BE37) collects data from U.S. airline operators engaged in the international transportation of
passengers or of U.S. export freight, or the transportation of passengers or freight between two
foreign points, if total covered revenues or total covered expenses were $500,000 or more in the
previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year.
The data are needed to monitor U.S. trade in transport services, to analyze the impact of
these cross-border services on the U.S. and foreign economies, to compile and improve the U.S.
economic accounts, to support U.S. commercial policy on trade in transport services, to conduct
trade promotion, and to improve the ability of U.S. businesses to identify and evaluate market
opportunities. The data are used in estimating the trade in transport services component of the
U.S. international transactions accounts (ITAs) and national income and product accounts
(NIPAs).
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is not proposing any changes to the surveys
reporting requirements or to the data items collected on the surveys.
BEA does not plan to change the exemption levels used for the current quarterly surveys.
BEA estimates there will be no change in the average number of burden hours per response. The
language in the instructions and definitions will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary to clarify
survey requirements.
II.

Method of Collection

BEA contacts potential respondents by mail at the end of each quarter. Respondents
would be required to file the completed BE-30 and BE-37 forms within 30 days after the end of
each quarter of the year.
BE-30 reports would be required from each U.S. ocean freight carrier (owners and
operators) that engaged in the international transportation of freight, cargo, and/or passengers
between U.S. and foreign ports or between foreign ports, whose total covered revenues or total
covered expenses were $500,000 or more in the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or
more during the current year.
BE-37 reports would be required from each from U.S. airline operator engaged in the
international transportation of passengers or of U.S. export freight, or the transportation of
freight or passengers between two foreign points, whose total covered revenues or total covered
expenses were $500,000 or more in the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more
during the current year.
BEA offers its electronic filing option, the eFile system, for use in reporting on Form BE30 and BE-37 surveys. For more information about eFile, go to www.bea.gov/efile. In addition,
BEA posts all its survey forms and reporting instructions on its website, www.bea.gov/ssb. These
may be downloaded, completed, printed, and submitted via fax or mail.
III.

Data
OMB Control Number: 0608-0011.
Form Number(s): BE-30 and BE-37.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of BE-30 Respondents: 200 annually (50 filed each quarter; 48

reporting mandatory data, and 2 that would file exemption claims or voluntary responses).
Estimated Number of BE-37 Respondents: 120 annually (30 filed each quarter; 28
reporting mandatory data, and 2 that would file an exemption claim or voluntary response).

Estimated Time Per Response: For the BE-30, 4 hours is the average for those reporting
mandatory data and one hour is the average for those filing an exemption claim or voluntary
responses. For the BE-37, 5 hours is the average for those reporting mandatory data and one hour
is the average for those filing an exemption claim or voluntary responses. For the BE-30 and BE37 surveys, hours may vary considerably among respondents because of differences in company
size and complexity.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,344 (776 for the BE-30; 568 for the BE-37).
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act (Pub. L. 94472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended).
IV.

Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We
will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this Information
Collection Request (ICR). Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at
any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-14273 Filed: 6/27/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/28/2024]