Supreme Court of the United States

Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft v. Federal Maritime Commission

March 6, 1968390 U.S. 261

Summary

The Court held that the Pacific Maritime Association's agreement allocating assessments for its mechanization fund was an agreement required to be filed with and approved by the Federal Maritime Commission under § 15 of the Shipping Act. The Court also held that the Commission applied unduly narrow approaches to the petitioner's challenges under §§ 16 and 17, requiring further consideration on remand, particularly under § 17's reasonable-relationship standard. Justice Harlan concurred with additional reasoning, Justice Fortas concurred in the judgment while declining to join the discussion of §§ 16 and 17, and Justice Douglas dissented in part, arguing that § 15 should not require prior Commission approval of a labor-related funding arrangement.

Holding

  • Whether the assessment agreement was subject to § 15 filing and approval requirements.. The assessment agreement was required to be filed with the Federal Maritime Commission under § 15.
  • Whether the Commission correctly rejected the § 16 and § 17 challenges.. The Commission must reconsider the § 16 and § 17 issues after the agreement is filed; the Court did not decide the ultimate merits of those claims. Under § 17, the proper inquiry is whether the charge is reasonably related to the service rendered, rather than merely whether the shipper received substantial benefits or whether the assessment was imposed with discriminatory intent.

Docket 69

Cited authorities

  • Rule 5
  • Rule 10
  • 46 U. S. C. 814
  • 46 U. S. C. 815
  • 46 U. S. C. 816
  • 39 Stat. 728
  • 46 U.S.C. § 801
  • 49 Stat. 1985

Cited by

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