[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10777-10778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5691]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

46 CFR Part 71

[USCG-1998-3569]


Hull Examination Alternatives for Passenger Vessels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of policy.

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[[Page 10778]]

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of MOC Policy 
Letter No. 3-98 which updates Coast Guard drydock extension policy for 
passenger vessels that operate exclusively in benign environments. Upon 
completion of a comprehensive hull survey process, these passenger 
vessels, which pose a relatively low risk of hull failure, may obtain a 
drydock extension of up to 30 months.

DATES: This policy is effective March 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 
20590-0001, maintains the public docket for this notice. Documents 
indicated in this notice will be available for inspection or copying at 
room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building, at the 
above address between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays. The public docket can also be accessed via the 
internet at: http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Paulette Twine, Chief, Documentary 
Services Division, Department of Transportation, telephone 202-366-
9329, for questions on the docket; or Lt. Brian Willis, Commandant (G-
MOC), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20593-0001, telephone 202-267-6700 for questions on this 
notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    The Coast Guard has recognized a growing need to consider risk when 
addressing the needs and concerns of the passenger vessel industry. 
Some passenger vessels must travel over 1,000 river miles to find a 
drydock facility to accommodate them while others, because they are 
land-locked, would have to build a drydock on site to satisfy Coast 
Guard hull examination requirements. The majority of the vessels faced 
with these problems are operated in benign, low-risk environments; i.e. 
fresh water, near-shore and/or shallow water, mud-bottom rivers, 
limited routes, and limited time underway. These low-risk operating 
conditions, coupled with the use of improved underwater hull 
examination technologies, enable the Coast Guard to consider drydock 
extensions beyond the traditional one-year limit. Altogether, these 
factors make it safe and reasonable to allow drydock extensions of up 
to 30 months.
    MOC Policy Letter No. 3-98, entitled ``Drydock Extensions for 
Certain Passenger Vessels'', establishes the criteria for obtaining 
drydock extensions of up to 30 months for qualified passenger vessels. 
The policy letter presents specific eligibility criteria, outlines 
application requirements, and provides detailed criteria for the 
requisite in-water hull survey. The policy will be implemented by the 
granting of appropriate extensions through the cognizant OCMI to the 
Commandant (G-MOC). Please refer to the policy letter for information 
on requests for extensions.
    Coast Guard authority for issuing drydock extensions for passenger 
vessels is given under Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, 
Secs. 71.50-36(f), 115.670, and 176.670 for vessels inspected under 
Subchapters H, K, and T respectively. Until a regulatory project can be 
completed on this matter, the guidelines presented in this policy 
letter shall be used by the Coast Guard and affected members of the 
passenger vessel industry when considering drydock extension requests 
for these vessels. A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that 
incorporates this policy will be published in the Federal Register in 
the near future. This NPRM will also address possible alternatives to 
traditional hull examination requirements for all passenger vessels. 
Because a regulatory project is being developed, the Coast Guard is not 
requesting comments on this notice.
    MOC Policy Letter No. 3-98 is available on the Internet in the DMS 
Docket as mentioned under ADDRESSES or on the World Wide Web at: http:/
/www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/gmhome.htm in ``Publications, Reports and Forms''. 
Paper copies will soon be available for a nominal fee through the 
National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, 
Springfield, VA 22161, telephone 703-605-6000; or fax 703-321-8547.

Assistance for Small Entities

    In accordance with section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 [Pub. L. 104-121], the Coast Guard 
wants to assist small entities in understanding this policy so that 
they can better evaluate how this policy may affect them. If you have 
questions concerning this notice of policy, please consult the Coast 
Guard point of contact: Lt. Brian Willis, Commandant, (G-MOC), U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20593-0001, telephone 202-267-2735.

    Dated: February 26, 1998.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety 
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-5691 Filed 3-4-98; 8:45 am]
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