B03-028

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a Notice of Application from Sargeant Marine, Inc. requesting approval for the temporary transfer of the ASPHALT COMMANDER to the domestic trade for a period up to six months. The vessel would be used to load asphalt and #6 fuel oil in Texas and discharge at any combination of ports from Tampa, Florida to the southern tip of Florida, plus any port on the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine, including Puerto Rico. The temporary transfer of said Vessel to domestic trade would alleviate the shortage of these products on the above-mentioned areas.

Written comments, referencing Docket No. MARAD 2003-14708 may be submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 7^th St., SW, Washington, DC 20590 by 5:00 p.m. March 27, 2003. Comments may also be submitted electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. All comments are available for review between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

For further information contact Gregory V. Sparkman, Chief, Division of Shipping Analysis, room 8117, Maritime Administration, 400 7^th St., SW, Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-2400.

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The mission of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is to promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation's domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of serving as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. MARAD also seeks to ensure that the United States enjoys adequate shipbuilding and repair services, efficient ports, effective intermodal water and land transportation systems, and reserve shipping capacity in time of national emergency.

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