[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49939-49942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25038]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[USCG-1998-4399]


Public Meeting for Automatic Identification System Carriage 
Requirement; Vessel Traffic Service Lower Mississippi River

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is holding a public meeting to solicit 
comments on the establishment of a new Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) in 
the Lower Mississippi River area and a potential Automatic 
Identification System (AIS) carriage requirement for certain vessels 
operating in the new VTS area. The primary purpose of the meeting is to 
discuss which vessels should carry

[[Page 49940]]

Automatic Identification Systems and what performance, technical, 
testing, and certification standards the systems should meet. The Coast 
Guard will also share preliminary results of AIS tests conducted in the 
Lower Mississippi River area. In addition, the Coast Guard seeks 
written comments from any party who is unable to attend the meeting or 
who wishes to submit comments on this topic.

DATES: The meeting will be held on October 28, 1998, from 9 a.m. to 3 
p.m. We will begin the meeting at the scheduled time; however, it may 
be concluded early if all business is finished. Comments must reach the 
Docket Management Facility on or before October 28, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Port of New Orleans, Port of 
New Orleans Way, New Orleans, LA 70160. You may mail comments to the 
Docket Management Facility, [USCG-1998-4399], U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT), room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, 
DC 20590-0001, or deliver them to room PL-401, located on the Plaza 
level of the Nassif Building at the same address between 10 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
notice. Comments, and documents as indicated in this preamble will 
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif 
Building at the address in this section between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also access 
this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice or to 
make an oral presentation at the meeting, please contact Diane 
Schneider, Office of Vessel Traffic Management, telephone 202-267-0352, 
fax 202-267-4826, or e-mail D[email protected]. For questions on 
viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Dorothy Walker, 
Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, telephone 202-366-9329.
    Additional information on AIS can be obtained on the Internet at 
http://www.uscg.mil/vtm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to respond to this 
request by submitting written data, views, or arguments. Persons 
submitting comments should include their names and addresses, identify 
this notice [USCG-1998-4399] and the specific section of this document 
to which each comment or question apples, and give the reason for each 
comment. Please submit all comments and attachments in an unbound 
format, no large than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and 
electronic filing to the Docket Management Facility at the address 
under ADDRESSES. Persons wanting acknowledgment of receipt of comments 
should enclose stamped, self-addressed postcards or envelopes. The 
Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the comment 
period.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact 
Ms. Diane Schneider at the phone numbers listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as possible.

Background Information

The Need for Vessel Traffic Services

    Continuing trends in vessel transit statistics show that America's 
commercial waterways are becoming increasingly congested. Growing 
numbers of vessels, especially oil and chemical carriers and vessels 
with large passenger counts, create a growing threat of high 
consequence accidents. As a result, the public has demanded more 
effective safety measures and the maritime community wants improved 
safety and more efficient traffic movement through major ports. Vessel 
Traffic Services (VTS) have been specifically identified as one 
potential solution to the problems of vessel traffic safety and port 
efficiency. At the same time, Congress and the industry have serious 
concerns about the adequacy and cost-effectiveness of traditional VTS 
technology and operation procedures.

Congressional Direction and Stakeholder Involvement

    Congress has directed the Coast Guard to re-examine the manner in 
which it performs the VTS mission and to work with VTS users and 
stakeholders in identifying the technologies to be used in performing 
the VTS mission. Congress has also specifically commented on the need 
to rapidly solve safety problems in the Port of New Orleans.
    The Coast Guard complied with congressional direction through two 
public processes, as well as through numerous less formal public 
presentation and discussion sessions around the country. The first of 
the two public processes was a National Dialog conducted through the 
Marine Board of the National Academy of Sciences and its Committee on 
Maritime Advanced Information Systems. The National Dialog drew input 
from representatives of the maritime industry and stakeholders. The 
second public process was an ad hoc VTS committee formed under the 
auspices of the Lower Mississippi River Safety Advisory Committee 
(LMRSAC), a formally chartered advisory committee under the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act. The ad hoc VTS committee included 
representatives from 28 different stakeholder groups.
    The National Dialog resulted in the identification of AIS 
technology as a basis for future VTS installations. The LMRSAC ad hoc 
group, in its ``Baseline VTS Recommendations from The Ports and 
Waterways Safety Systems Committee,'' also recommended AIS as the basis 
for future technology for any VTS in the Lower Mississippi River area. 
Copies of documents from both processes are available for inspection in 
the docket at the address listed under ADDRESSES. You may also obtain 
copies on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or by calling the project 
manager at the number listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

AIS Technology

    The AIS integrates a number of different technologies including 
Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS), electronic chart 
systems, communications, and open information system architecture. The 
AIS transponders transmit and receive specific navigational information 
in real time (vessel's name, position, course, speed, dimensions, 
cargo, etc.) and operate in both ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore-to-ship 
modes. The ship-to-ship mode allows independent exchange between 
participating vessels without a shore-based component. The ship-to-
shore-to-ship mode allows exchange of information between participating 
vessels and a shore-based component such as a vessel traffic service. 
In both modes, AIS will provide mariners with highly accurate 
information on the navigational situation of their own vessels as well 
as that of surrounding AIS equipped vessels.
    There are systems similar to AIS already in use in ports around the 
world. These systems have proven that AIS transponder surveillance can 
be effective by providing mariners with improved access to pertinent 
navigation

[[Page 49941]]

and vessel traffic information. For example, since July 1994, certain 
tank vessels operating in the Prince William Sound VTS area are 
required to carry transponders. This transponder system works in a 
ship-to-shore mode only and does not support onboard information 
displays or voiceless delivery of information to the mariner. The 
Prince William Sound VTS remains heavily dependent on radar and VHF-FM 
voice radio communications. Despite the lesser capability of these more 
primitive transponders, the devices have proven extremely valuable.
    The automatic ship identification system used in Prince William 
Sound does not have an onboard display capability. An onboard display, 
especially one providing an electronic navigation capability, 
significantly increases the benefits of AIS. For example, Portable 
Piloting Units (PPU), consisting of a DGPS receiver and a laptop 
computer running an electronic chart system, have been used in a number 
of places, including the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, with very 
positive results. The PPUs lack vessel traffic information (there is no 
transponder), but they do provide a level of precision navigation not 
previously available.

Setting Standards for AIS

    Standards for AIS must be set for the technology to operate as most 
mariners desire. Standards will ensure that AIS devices, offered by 
various manufacturers, will be interoperable. Many of the systems that 
are already in use are based on incompatible designs and are 
proprietary. These systems might be an acceptable way to implement the 
AIS concept, if the benefits of AIS were limited to piloted vessels 
navigating between the pilot station and the dock. However, AIS needs 
to be on board vessels that are not carrying pilots, whether at sea or 
in internal waters. There is also a need to avoid a proliferation of 
AIS-related devices to be carried on board a given vessel. Most 
mariners want one device that meets the requirements.
    Setting standards for AIS is a high priority for the Coast Guard. 
The preferred approach is to have a single set of universal AIS 
performance, technical, testing, and certification standards adopted by 
the appropriate international standard setting bodies. To avoid royalty 
payments and unavailability of technology, a further requirement is 
that these standards be unencumbered by intellectual property rights. 
Following this approach and working with concerned governments and 
appropriate standards bodies, the Coast Guard has made significant 
progress in obtaining the necessary standards. The International 
Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a performance standard for a 
Universal Shipborne Automatic Identification System. Based on this 
performance standard, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 
has prepared a draft technical standard which is in the final stages of 
review and approval. Work has started on a test and certification 
standard to be promulgated by the International Electro-technical 
Commission (IEC).
    Work on installing a new VTS in the Lower Mississippi River area 
has begun; the VTS is scheduled to be operational in January of the 
year 2000. The new VTS will cover an area 32 kilometers (20 miles) 
north of Baton Rouge (mile marker 255) to the seabuoy at Southwest 
Pass. Consistent with the results of the National Dialog and the LMRSAC 
ad hoc VTS committee, this VTS may be AIS-based, using transponder 
technology to perform the majority of both surveillance and information 
exchange. The Coast Guard is currently conducting comprehensive vessel 
testing of AIS transponders on a variety of platforms. These tests are 
addressing technical issues such as charting and transponder 
reliability, and will highlight any technical problems. The Coast Guard 
will provide preliminary test results during the public meeting.

Comment Issues

    The Coast Guard seeks information that may be useful when it 
considers the feasibility of and alternatives in implementing a 
potential AIS carriage requirement for certain vessels operating in the 
Lower Mississippi River VTS area. The Coast Guard will review and 
consider all comments submitted, and input from the comments may be 
used in the development of a notice of proposed rulemaking.
    The Coast Guard needs feedback from you on the following issues and 
recommendations:

1. AIS Carriage Requirement

    An AIS carriage requirement must be in place if the new VTS is AIS-
based. Many of the discussions regarding AIS to date have focused on 
using the Bridge-To-Bridge Radiotelephone Act applicability 
requirements in 33 CFR 26.03 as the basis for an AIS display and 
transponder carriage requirement. The following vessels must carry a 
radiotelephone under 33 CFR 26.03.
     Every power-driven vessel of 20 meters (66 feet) or more 
in length while navigating.
     Every vessel of 100 gross tons or more carrying one or 
more passengers for hire while navigating.
     Every towing vessel of 8 meters (26 feet) or more in 
length while navigating.
     Every dredge and floating plant engaged in or near a 
channel or fairway in operations likely to restrict or affect 
navigation of other vessels except for an unmanned or intermittently 
manned floating plant under control of a dredge.
    Some stakeholders have recommended modifying these applicability 
requirements for AIS carriage to apply to power-driven vessels of 40 
meters (131 feet) or more while navigating. In addition to the possible 
applications for AIS display and transponder requirements, stakeholders 
have also recommended that all vessels licensed or documented for 
commercial use, with the exception of fishing vessels, be required to 
carry an AIS transponder only (display capability not required). 
Stakeholders have also recommended that certain vessels be prohibited 
from carrying AIS transponders which operate in the transmit mode. The 
Coast Guard is interested in feedback on these issues and 
recommendations.

2. AIS Standards

    As discussed earlier in this notice, setting standards for AIS is a 
high priority for the Coast Guard because standardization is an 
absolute requirement for AIS to operate as desired. We must consider 
the following issues:
     Which set of standards to use in implementing an AIS 
carriage requirement on the Lower Mississippi River.
     The effective date that should be established for 
implementing an AIS carriage requirement.
    If a technical standard implementing the IMO Universal AIS 
performance standard is not approved in a timely manner, the Coast 
Guard may have to consider alternative courses of action. For example, 
an existing ITU AIS technical standard, called ITU-R825.3, is already 
in place, with a corresponding IEC test/certification standard. This 
standard, while not providing all of the capabilities of the IMO 
Universal AIS standard and not providing as robust a ship-to-ship 
capability as desired, could be used in implementing AIS on the Lower 
Mississippi River. Transition to the new international standard could 
be accomplished at a later date, and backwards compatibility from the 
new standard to the existing standard could eliminate or sharply reduce 
the cost of any retrofit.

[[Page 49942]]

     If standards fully implementing the IMO Universal AIS 
standard are still not in place by the beginning of the year 2000, 
should the Coast Guard implement a carriage requirement based on 
existing standards?
     Should the Coast Guard delay the opening of VTS Lower 
Mississippi River until a technical standard implementing the IMO 
Universal AIS performance standard is available? If so, how long can 
VTS Lower Mississippi River be delayed?

Public Meeting

    The meeting is open to the public. It will include short 
presentations on the following topics, followed by open discussion:
     Introduction of Coast Guard personnel.
     Concept of AIS and VTS.
     AIS performance, technical, and test/certification 
standards.
     Automatic Identification Systems test results from the 
Lower Mississippi River.
     The size and type of vessels that should be required to 
carry Automatic Identification System transponders.
    Members of the public can make oral presentations with advance 
notice, and as time permits. If you wish to make an oral presentation, 
you should notify Diane Schneider at the numbers listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT no later than October 26, 1998. Please 
provide your name, your affiliation, and the issue you would like to 
discuss.

    Dated: September 11, 1998.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-25038 Filed 9-17-98; 8:45 am]
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