(a) To be eligible for the Service Incentive Program, cargos must qualify as New Business under the New Business Incentive Program, and be shipped by a service meeting all of the requirements (Qualifying Service):
(1) A liner or semi-liner service between the same ports;
(2) The service must call on multiple origin ports, or multiple destination ports;
(3) The service must not be limited to the movement of one specific commodity;
(4) The service must service markets outside of the Great Lakes; and
(5) The service must not replace or displace any of the carrier's existing services. The Manager reserves the right to require proof of the ultimate origin and destination of cargoes in order to ensure there is no diversion of existing cargoes.
(b) The Service incentive applies only to New Business applications approved after the commencement date of the Qualifying Service. New Business applications approved prior to the date of commencement of the Qualifying Service will be ineligible for the Service Incentive Program.
(c) The Service Incentive applies only to cargoes exported from the Great Lakes, and is not applicable to import cargoes.
(d) The carrier will provide the Manager with written notice of its intention to apply for the Service Incentive at least thirty (30) days prior to implementation of the Qualifying Service.
(e) The carrier will advise the Manager of the proposed interval (weekly, monthly, etc.) of the Qualifying Service, and the number of calls scheduled for the Navigation Season. Additional calls to the system may be added during the season.
(f) The carrier will advise the Manager of port rotation, outlining core ports of calls when providing notification of schedule rotation. Additional ports may be added at any time provided the core schedule ports are called.
(g) The carrier will advertise the Qualifying Service on its own Web site, available port Web sites, and with Manager's Assistance on the HWY H20 Web site.
(h) The carrier must meet 75% schedule adherence with a minimum of four (4) Great Lakes calls during the navigation season.
(i) The carrier will provide the Manager with a request for the Service Incentive refund, together with copies of any documents required to support the request, within sixty (60) days of the close of the navigation season. Requests for refunds should be submitted to the Manager, Revenue and Forecast for the Manager, who will be responsible for reviewing and approving Service Incentive requests.
(j) Service Incentive of 20% of tolls paid in respect of cargo shipped by Qualifying Service will be refunded by the Manager after the close of the navigation season, once the Manager has confirmed that the carrier has met the schedule adherence requirement.
[79 FR 13253, Mar. 10, 2014, as amended at 80 FR 5048, Jan. 30, 2015]