[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12969-12970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4995]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2001-8980]


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 Southern Cross.

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SUMMARY: As authorized by Pub. L. 105-383, the Secretary of 
Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
is 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 Pub. L. 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 April 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-8980. 
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 Pub. L. 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 
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

[[Page 12970]]

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: Southern Cross. Owner: Peter Murray.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant:

    In pursuant with reg. 46 U.S.C. 14502 Gross tonnage is 28 and 
net tonnage is 25. The Southern Cross is a custom built Cross design 
trimaran sailboat. It is 46ft long and 25.2 breadth and 9.0 depth.

    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant:

    I intend to use the vessel as a sailing, diving, and teaching, 
liveaboard, for 6 passenger or less, sailing trimaran, in the area 
of the Florida keys, Key Largo to the Dry tortuous. I feel that this 
boat is unique in the fact that this is a sailing trimaran, engaged 
in not only sailing and diving, but I intend to use this vessel as a 
teaching platform, of not only sailing and diving, but a much 
greater concern, our environment.

    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1975. Place of construction: Ontario, Canada.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant:

    To my knowledge there are no other trimaran sailboats in my 
immediate area that is doing a sailing, diving and teaching 
liveaboard operation. Although there are other boats down in key 
West, which is over 90 miles away as well as in key Largo, which is 
15 miles away from my area, that are doing sailing charters, there 
are no trimarans doing a sailing, diving and teaching liveaboard 
operation. Each seems to have their own cliental, and also seem to 
go after localized traffic. Where I will advertise on the Internet 
and get my cliental from around the country. So I feel that my 
vessel would be a minimal financial impact if any, on other vessels 
in my area.

    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant:

    To my knowledge there are no us ship builders building a vessel 
similar to the southern Cross. The Southern Cross is custom built 
from a Norman Cross design. The vessel is constructed using a cold 
molded process which is very expensive and very heavy using the 
materials that were used in building Southern Cross. The new ship 
builders are using lighter materials and different designs i.e. * * 
* catamaran design hulls, but on the other hand being an older boat 
and made of wood, I've already spent many hours and lots of money in 
local boat yards. I know for a fact this will never end, and I feel 
that the Southern Cross will only stimulate the economic growth of 
local boat yards.


    Dated: February 26, 2001.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-4995 Filed 2-28-01; 8:45 am]
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