[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12584-12585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4710]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-8952]


Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Invitation for public comments on a requested administrative 
waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel CHARISMA.

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SUMMARY: As authorized by Public Law 105-383, the Secretary of 
Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
is

[[Page 12585]]

authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the 
coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver 
has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a description of the 
proposed service, is listed below. Interested parties may comment on 
the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses 
in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines that in 
accordance with Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR 
Part 388 (65 FR 6905; February 11, 2000) that the issuance of the 
waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a 
business that uses U.S.-flag vessels, a waiver will not be granted.

DATES: Submit comments on or before March 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-8952. 
Written comments may be submitted by hand or by mail to the Docket 
Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 
7th St., SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You may also send comments 
electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. All 
comments will become part of this docket and will be available for 
inspection and copying at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An electronic 
version of this document and all documents entered into this docket is 
available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Dunn, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-2307.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title V of Public Law 105-383 provides 
authority to the Secretary of Transportation to administratively waive 
the U.S.-build requirements of the Jones Act, and other statutes, for 
small commercial passenger vessels (no more than 12 passengers). This 
authority has been delegated to the Maritime Administration per 49 CFR 
Sec. 1.66, Delegations to the Maritime Administrator, as amended. By 
this notice, MARAD is publishing information on a vessel for which a 
request for a U.S.-build waiver has been received, and for which MARAD 
requests comments from interested parties. Comments should refer to the 
docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to 
properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the 
commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver 
criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD'S regulations at 46 CFR Part 388.

Vessel Proposed for Waiver of the U.S.-build Requirement

    (1) Name of vessel and owner for which waiver is requested.
    Name of vessel: Charisma. Owner: NAUTECH International, LLC, a 
Louisiana Corporation.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``The vessel is 65 net tons as per the documentation 
certificate enclosed. Additional measurements are 65 feet in length, 17 
feet in breadth and 11 feet in depth noticed by the same certificate.''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``The 
intended use of the vessel is for executing meetings and executive 
cruises of 12 persons or less. This usage shall have no effect on the 
coastwise trade of any person as no charters of this type are currently 
operating in the proposed areas * * *. The geographic area intended is 
Lake Pontchartrain and connecting inland waters, Mississippi River as 
well as the Gulf of Mexico (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi Alabama and 
Florida Coasts.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1967. Place of construction: Hampshire England, 
United Kingdom.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``This proposed operation shall have no effect on other commercial 
passenger operations. There are no commercially operated executive 
yacht rentals in the proposed areas of operation. The CHARISMA is an 
executive yacht. It is the only yacht of this size proposed for charter 
in the areas indicated. As requested by your item 9 of the MARAD 
Transmittal we include the following description of existing operators 
of charter or commercial vessels for hire, none of which are similar in 
nature to the CHARISMA.
    a. Small open fishing boats for two or three passengers with 
outboard motors.
    b. Small oar or pole powered skiffs for bayou cruises in controlled 
wildlife refuges.
    c. Casino boats of 1200 or more passengers.
    d. Specially equipped deep sea fishing boats.
    e. Harbor Tour Operators of certified vessels with passengers of 
100 or more.
    f. Government operated Ferryboats for public transportation of 
passengers and of vehicles.
    g. Sailing vessels.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``This waiver shall have no 
impact on U.S. Shipyards.'' ``No shipyards are currently building Motor 
Vessels of this size or type for this purpose.''

    Dated: February 21, 2001.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-4710 Filed 2-26-01; 8:45 am]
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