[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5636-5637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2796]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2002-11453]


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 BLUE LAGOON.

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SUMMARY: As authorized by Public Law 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 March 8, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2002-11453. 
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

[[Page 5637]]

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 
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: BLUE LAGOON. Owner: Joseph Vincer.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``47 feet in length, 24 feet 7 inches in beam, 3 feet 7 
inches draft'' ``19 tons gross, 15 tons net''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant:

    Vessel would be used for 6 to 12 passengers for evening sunset 
sailing cruises, and sailing cruises of Sarasota Bay, FL and mouth 
of Tampa Bay, FL. On occasion I might like to take people on 
overnight sails to Naples, FL and the Upper Keys, departing from 
Sarasota and returning to Sarasota.

    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1989. Place of construction: Marseilles, France. 
Major refit at Bob & Annies Boatyard, Pine Island FL, 1996 in excess of 
$100,000.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``Approval of this waiver will have minimal impact on other commercial 
passenger vessel operators'As there [is] no other sailboat operator 
engaged in the day sail business in my area, there would be no 
competition to other operators.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant:

    Blue Lagoon was rescued from abandonment and ill-care by myself 
and have had extensive work done on her in US boatyards, and by my 
own labor in the US to bring her back to her ``full glory''. I have 
spent well over $100,000 doing so, helping the us marine industry. 
She continues to have work done in the US, and nowhere else * * * 
therefore, there is no competition to US boat builders, but may 
actually help local boat builders as some people who would take a 
ride upon BLUE LAGOON may decide to buy a catamaran of US origin.


    Dated: January 31, 2002.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Murray A. Bloom,
 Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-2796 Filed 2-5-02; 8:45 am]
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