Measures for the Administration of the Examination and Approval of Wholly Foreign-owned Shipping Companies (Revised)
外商独资船务公司审批管理办法 (修正)
Shipping WFOEs will be approved by local commerce departments.
(Promulgated by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Commerce on, and effective as of, July 5 2015.)
(交通运输部、商务部于二零一五年七月五日印发施行。)
Order of the MOT [2015] No.16
交通运输部令 [2015] 16号
Article 1: These Measures have been formulated pursuant to the laws of the People's Republic of China on foreign-invested enterprises and relevant shipping laws and regulations in order to standardize the investments and operations in the People's Republic of China of foreign shipping companies and to protect the lawful rights and interests of investors.
第一条 为了规范对外国航运公司在中华人民共和国的投资经营行为，保护投资者合法权益，根据中华人民共和国外商投资企业法和有关航运法规的规定，制定本办法。
Article 2: These Measures shall apply to the establishment of wholly-owned shipping companies in China by foreign shipping companies.
第二条 外国航运公司在华设立独资公司，适用本办法。
For the purposes of the preceding paragraph, the term “foreign shipping company” means a shipping enterprise established in a foreign country in accordance with the law of such foreign country (Foreign Shipping Company).
前款所称外国航运公司，是指依照外国法律，在外国设立的航运企业（以下简称为外国航商）。
Article 3: The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China are in charge of examining and approving the establishment of wholly-owned shipping companies in China by Foreign Shipping Companies.
第三条 中华人民共和国商务部（以下简称商务部）和交通运输部负责外国航商在华设立独资船务公司的审批。
Article 4: The establishment of wholly-owned shipping companies in China by foreign shipping companies shall be subject to examination and approval in accordance with the maritime transport treaties and related legal documents concluded between the government of China and the governments of the Foreign Shipping Companies' home countries.
第四条 外国航商在华设立独资船务公司，必须依据我国政府同外国航商所在国政府签定的海运协定及相关法律文件进行审批。
Article 5: An applicant for the establishment of a wholly-owned shipping company must meet the following conditions:
第五条 设立独资船务公司，申请者须具备下列条件：
(1) having at least 15 years of experience in shipping;
（一）具有15年以上从事航运的资历；
(2) having a stable source of cargoes or passengers in the Chinese open port city where it proposes to establish its wholly-owned shipping company; and
（二）其在拟设独资船务公司的中国对外开放口岸城市具有稳定的货源或者客源;
(3) not having violated Chinese laws, administrative regulations or rules during the course of its business activities in China for a consecutive period of two years.
（三）在中国的经营活动连续2年没有违反中国法律和行政法规、规章规定的行为。
Article 6: When applying to establish a wholly-owned shipping company, the applicant shall submit the following documents:
第六条 申请设立独资船务公司，申请者应当提交下列文件：
(1) a written application;
（一）申请书；
(2) a feasibility study report;
（二）可行性研究报告;
(3) the articles of association;
（三）公司章程;
(4) documentary proof of the applicant's legal status and creditworthiness;
（四）申请者的法律证明文件和资信证明文件；
(5) the power of attorney of the legal representative of the wholly-owned shipping company, and the names and resumes of the members of the board of directors;
（五）独资船务公司法人代表的委任书和董事会成员的名单及简历；
(6) a specimen of the applicant's bill of lading or passenger ticket; and
（六）申请者的提单、客票样本；
(7) other documents as required by MOFCOM and the Ministry of Transport.
（七）商务部和交通运输部要求的其它文件。
Article 7: Application for the establishment of a wholly-owned shipping company shall be carried out in accordance with the following procedure:
第七条 申请设立独资船务公司，按以下程序办理：
(1) The applicant shall submit the application materials to the competent provincial-level commerce department of the place where it proposes to establish its wholly-owned shipping company. The competent provincial-level commerce department shall review the materials and, after obtaining the consent of the Ministry of Transport, approve the same and issue a Certificate of Approval for Establishment of a Foreign-invested Enterprise (or a Certificate of Approval for Establishment of an Enterprise with Investment of Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macao).
（一）申请者向拟设立独资船务公司所在地省级商务主管部门报送申请材料，省级商务主管部门对材料进行审核，在征得交通运输部同意后予以批准，发给《外商投资企业批准证书》或《台港澳侨投资批准证书》;
(2) Upon approval of the application, the applicant shall apply for registration with the administration for industry and commerce in accordance with relevant provisions on company registration within the specified time limit and receive a business license. The applicant may carry on business operations only after it has obtained an Operating License for a Wholly Foreign-owned Shipping Company from the competent transport department with the corresponding administrative authority.
（二）申请获批后，申请者应当在规定的期限内，依照公司登记的有关规定，向工商行政管理机关办理申请登记，领取营业执照，并在有相应管理职权的交通运输主管部门办理《外商独资船务公司经营许可证》后，方可从事经营性业务。
Article 8: An approved wholly-owned shipping company or branch thereof may engage in all or some of the following businesses for the vessels owned or operated by its parent company: soliciting cargoes or passengers, issuance of bills of lading or passenger tickets, settlement of shipping fees and the entry into service contracts.
第八条 经批准的独资船务公司或其分公司可为其母公司拥有或者经营的船舶从事下列全部或者部分业务：揽货、揽客、代签提单、代出客票、代结运费和代签服务合同。
Article 9: A wholly-owned shipping company may apply to establish branches in other port cities in accordance with its business needs. A wholly-owned shipping company establishing a branch shall satisfy the following conditions:
第九条 独资船务公司根据业务需要，可申请在其它港口城市设立分公司。独资船务公司设立分公司需满足以下条件：
(1) it has been operating for at least one year;
（一）独资船务公司开业满1年；
(2) its parent company has a stable source of cargoes or passengers in the open port city where it proposes to establish a branch; and
（二）独资船务公司的母公司在拟设分公司所在对外口岸开放城市具有稳定的货源或者客源；
(4) it and its parent company have not violated Chinese laws, administrative regulations or rules during the course of their business activities in China for a consecutive period of one year.
（三）独资船务公司及其母公司在中国的经营活动连续1年没有违反中国法律和行政法规、规章规定的行为。
The application procedure for the establishment of a branch by a wholly-owned shipping company shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 hereof.
独资船务公司设立分公司的申请程序按照本办法第七条的规定办理。
Article 10: At least 85% of the staff of a wholly-owned shipping company shall be Chinese employees.
第十条 独资船务公司员工中，中国雇员应当占85%以上。
Article 11: A wholly-owned shipping company shall submit a report on the preceding year's business to MOFCOM and the Ministry of Transport annually by the end of April. The business reports shall include the following main particulars:
第十一条 独资船务公司应当于每年四月底前向商务部和交通运输部报告上年度经营情况。经营情况报告应当包括以下内容：
(1) the shipping routes to Chinese ports;
（一）挂靠中国港口的航线；
(2) the total number of working personnel and the number of Chinese employees;
（二）从业人员总数，中国雇员数；
(3) the volume of cargoes ('0,000 tonnes), the number of passengers and the number of containers (TEUs) carried in and out of Chinese ports and the amount of freight revenues; and
（三）承运进出中国港口货运量（万吨）、客运量（人次）、集装箱量（TEU）以及运费收入；
(4) the gross business turnover, gross profit and amount of taxes paid for the year in question.
（四）当年的总营业额、利润总额和纳税额。
Article 12: The establishment of wholly-owned shipping companies in Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government by shipping enterprises from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan region shall, mutatis mutandis, be carried out in accordance with these Measures.
第十二条 中国香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区和台湾地区的航运企业在中国其他省、自治区、直辖市设立独资船务公司，比照本办法办理。
Article 13: These Measures shall be effective as of the date of promulgation.
clp reference:4500/15.07.05prc reference:交通运输部令 [2015] 16号promulgated:2015-07-05effective:2015-07-05第十三条 本办法自发布之日起施行。
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