§ 1253 Pilotage Tariff Petition Timing

• •Petitions must be filed within 18 months of the tariff’s effective date.
• •If at least two original parties file a joint petition and no new opponents appear, the petition is still on time even after 18 months.
• •The petition has to be based on a notice of intent to petition.

A shipping company wants to ask for a new pilot fee two years after the current fee started. Normally the petition would be too late, but if another shipping company that was also part of the original hearing joins them and no new groups object, the petition can still be accepted.

Because they filed together and nobody new opposed them, the 18‑month deadline is ignored and their request is considered on time.