§ 1.954-6. Foreign base company shipping income.

Foreign corporation C owns a foreign flag vessel which it charters under a long-term charter to foreign corporation D. The vessel is used by D as a tramp which has no fixed or regular schedule. The vessel carries bulk and packaged cargoes, as well as occasional passengers, under charter parties, contracts of affreightment, or other contracts of carriage. The carriage of cargoes and passengers is between a port in the United States and a port in a foreign country or between a port in one foreign country and another port in the same or a different foreign country. The charter hire paid to C by D constitutes income derived from the use of the vessel in foreign commerce, but is not foreign base company income to the extent the charter hire is allocable to income derived from the use of the vessel between ports in the same foreign country in which both C is incorporated and the vessel is registered. The charter hire and freight and passenger revenue (including demurrage and dead freight) derived by D also constitute income derived from the use of the vessel in foreign commerce, but is not foreign base company income to the extent the charter hire and freight and passenger revenue are allocable to the use of the vessel between ports in the same foreign country in which both D is incorporated and the vessel is registered.

(a) Foreign corporation E owns a foreign flag tanker which it charters under a long-term bareboat charter to foreign corporation F for use in foreign commerce. F produces oil in a foreign country and ships the oil to other foreign countries and to the United States. The vessel, when not engaged in carrying F's oil, is used to carry bulk cargoes for unrelated persons in foreign commerce as opportunity offers. The charger hire received by E constitutes income derived from the use of the vessel in foreign commerce. The income derived by F from carrying bulk cargoes for unrelated persons also constitutes income derived from the use of the vessel in foreign commerce.

(b) F is forced to lay up the vessel as a result of adverse market developments. Pursuant to the terms of the charter, F continues to pay charter hire to E during the period of lay-up. The charter hire received by E during the period of lay-up constitutes income derived from the use of the vessel in foreign commerce.

(a) A shipment of cheese is loaded into a container owned by controlled foreign corporation S at the consignor's place of business in Hamar, Norway. The cheese is transported to Milan, Italy, by the following routings:

(1) Overland by road from Hamar, Norway, to Gothenburg, Sweden, by unrelated motor carriers via Oslo, Norway,

(2) By sea from Gothenburg to Rotterdam, Netherlands, by feeder vessel under foreign flag, time chartered to S by unrelated owner,

(3) By sea from Rotterdam to Algeciras, Spain, by feeder vessel under foreign flag, time chartered to S by unrelated owner.

(4) By sea from Algeciras to Genoa, Italy, by line-haul vessel under U.S. flag, chartered by S from related company, and

(5) Overland from Genoa to Milan, Italy, by unrelated motor carrier.

(b) The consignor pays S total charges of $1,710, and S pays $676 to unrelated third parties, which amounts may be broken down as follows:

(c) Of the $1,710 amount billed to the consignor and collected by S, $290 is collected by S on behalf of unrelated third parties. This $290 amount is not includable in S's gross income, and is therefore not includable in S's foreign base company shipping income. The remaining $1,420 amount (i.e., $1,710−$290) is includable in S's foreign base company shipping income. The $386 amount paid by S to unrelated third parties and absorbed by S is deductible from foreign base company shipping income under § 1.954-1(c).

is foreign base company shipping income (determined without regard to this subparagraph). Thus, for example, if 80 percent of the gross income derived by a controlled foreign corporation at a stevedoring facility is treated as foreign base company shipping income under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, then the remaining 20 percent is treated as foreign base company shipping income under this subparagraph.

Controlled foreign corporation A acts as a managing agent for foreign corporation B, a related person which contracts to construct and charter a foreign flag vessel for use in foreign commerce. As managing agent for B, A performs a broad range of services relating to the use of the vessel, including arranging for, and supervising of, construction and chartering of the vessel, and handling of operating services after construction is completed. The income derived by A from its management and operating services constitutes income derived in connection with the performance of services directly related to the use of the vessel in foreign commerce.

Controlled foreign corporation C uses the calendar year as the taxable year. During 1976, C is engaged in the trade or business of acting as a steamship agent solely for unrelated persons. C's activities as steamship agent range from “husbanding” (i.e., arranging for fuel, supplies and port services, and attending to crew and customs matters) to the solicitation and booking of cargo at a number of foreign ports. None of C's other gross income for 1976 is foreign base company shipping income. Under these circumstances, C's gross income derived from its steamship agency does not constitute foreign base company shipping income.

to the extent that such items would have been includible in its foreign base company shipping income had they been realized by it directly.

Controlled foreign corporations X and Y are equal partners in partnership P. The taxable years end on December 31 for X, June 30 for Y, and March 31 for P. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 1976, P's sole business activity is the use of a vessel in foreign commerce. P derives gross income of $200 from the use of the vessel, and incurs expenses, taxes, and other deductions of $160. Assume X's distributive share of such

$200 of P's gross income is $100, all of which is includible in X's gross income. If X had realized its distributive share of $100 directly, then the amount which would have been includible in X's foreign base company shipping income under this paragraph is the portion allocable to the months of January, February, and March of 1976. Such amount, $25 (i.e., 1/2 × $200 × 3 months/12 months), is included in X's foreign base company shipping income for its taxable year ending December 31, 1976. Similarly, X is entitled under this paragraph to a deduction from foreign base company shipping income of $20 (i.e., 1/2 × $160 × 3 months/12 months). Since foreign base company shipping income does not include amounts earned by a foreign corporation (not a less developed country shipping corporation) in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1976, Y has no foreign base company shipping income (under this paragraph or otherwise) for its taxable year beginning on July 1, 1975.

The facts are the same as in example 1, except that P incurs expenses, taxes, and deductions of $240 in its taxable year ending on March 31, 1976. Accordingly, $25 is includible in X's foreign base company shipping income, and the amount deductible therefrom under this paragraph is $30 (i.e., 1/2 × $240 × 3 months/12 months).