Final Rule- Vessel Requirements for Notices of Arrival and Departure, and Automatic Identification System
1/30/2015 - 10 Years Ago
Consistent with statutory requirements and provisions, the Coast Guard is expanding the applicability of notice of arrival (NOA) and automatic identification system (AIS) requirements. This final rule amends the applicability of notice of arrival requirements to include additional vessels, sets forth a mandatory method for electronic submission of NOAs, and modifies related reporting content, timeframes, and procedures. This final rule also extends the applicability of AIS requirements beyond Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) areas to all U.S. navigable waters, and requires that additional commercial vessels install and use AIS, consistent with statutory requirements, and in limited cases, the Secretary's discretionary authority. These changes will improve navigation safety, enhance our ability to identify and track vessels, and heighten our overall maritime domain awareness (MDA), thus helping us address threats to maritime transportation safety and security.
This final rule is effective March 2, 2015, except for amendments to 33 CFR part 160 which become effective April 30, 2015, with the further exception of § 160.204(a)(6), which is effective April 30, 2015 through December 31, 2015; and except for §§ 160.204(a)(5)(vii), 160.205, 160.208(a) and (c), and 164.46(b) and (c), which contain collection of information requirements that have not yet been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Coast Guard will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of these four collection-of-information related sections.
A link to the final rule is provided at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-01-30/pdf/2015-01331.pdf.
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