375 
During the first half of 1975, as shown in Table IV above, an 
imbalance developed in the carriage of grain cargoes in favor of 
Soviet vessels. The imbalance essentially resulted from a dispute over 
an acceptable freight rate for carriage of grain on U.S.-flag vessels, 
and improper cargo offering procedures by the Soviets. Under the 
Agreement, however, the Soviets have a continuing obligation to offer: 
(1) sufficient grain cargoes to offset the imbalance by December 
30, 1975, and (2) the U.S. share (the greater of one-third or parity) 
for the grain cargoes shipped during the second half of 1975. 
Current activity relating to the Agreement involves two major issues: 
(1) the establishment of a mutually acceptable freight rate for the 
carriage of grain to the Soviet Union by U.S.-flag vessels, and (2) 
the negotiation of a new Agreement to be effective on January 1, 
1976, upon the expiration of the present Agreement at the end of 
1975. 
Since May 1975 the Maritime Administration has been negotiating 
with the Soviet side to establish a rate that would assure U.S.-flag 
vessel participation. On July 31 the U.S. side called for a special 
meeting on this subject, which was convened in Washington on August 
18. No rate was established at that session, and a further meeting 
has just been concluded in Moscow. As a result of that meeting, 
a minimum rate of $16 a ton, subject to upward adjustment based 
on an index, was agreed through December 31, 1976. 
Negotiations commenced in November 1974 for the renewal of 
the Agreement. There have been several meetings between the 
Designated Representatives since then and a further meeting is 
scheduled for October in Washington. 
U.S.-U.S.S.R. TECHNOLOGICAL EXCHANGES IN THE FIELD OF MARINE 
TRANSPORTATION 
An Agreement on exchanges between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. in 
the field of transportation was signed on June 19, 1973. The areas 
to be covered were: Marine Transportation, Civil Aviation, Rail Trans- 
port, Automobile Transport, and Transport Construction. The Marine 
Transport Working Group was to address five areas: 
1. Organization and development of joint requirements for 
safety of life at sea; 
2. Exchange of technical information on ice transiting vessels; 
3. Organization and technology of ocean commerce and cargo 
handling in ocean ports; 
4. Commercial ship equipment, crew training, and human fac- 
tors; 
5. Joint studies of ocean wave spectra and the loadings they 
cause on ship structures. 
Since the Agreement was signed, there have been several delegation 
visits in each direction, and information has been exchanged in a 
steady flow of correspondence. Plenary sessions are held each year 
to discuss the overall direction to each of the working groups; the 
first was in Moscow in January 1974, the second in Washington in 
November 1974, and the third is scheduled for Moscow in September 
Se 
The activities of the panels are as follows: 
