U.S., BRAZIL REACH MARITIME AGREEMENT
The United States and Brazil are expected to announce the results of a new
bilateral maritime agreement early today.
U.S. Maritime Administrator Clyde Hart was in Brazil and is expected to make
the announcement.
Relations between the two countries had been contentious as recent as this
spring, when bilateral talks settled a maritime dispute involving
special tax which discriminated against non-Brazilian-flag vessels.
That issue was settled when Brazil agreed to drop the special tax rules
and the U.S. agreed to quit levying a tonnage tax on Brazilian ships
calling U.S. ports. The agreement capped a two-year dispute between the countries.