[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71118-71119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31389]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2003-16682]


Interpretations of Vessel Tonnage Measurement Regulations

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice addresses the use of a Marine Safety Center 
Technical Note (MTN) for interpreting the Coast Guard's vessel tonnage 
measurement regulations. While the regulations provide the necessary 
framework for assigning gross and net tonnages and registered 
dimensions to vessels, detailed interpretations of the regulations must 
be periodically made and disseminated to organizations authorized to 
perform tonnage measurement on the Coast Guard's behalf. This notice 
advises the public on how an MTN on tonnage measurement may be obtained 
and the process by which this MTN is periodically updated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective on December 22, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call Peter Eareckson, Chief, Tonnage Division, United States Coast 
Guard, (202) 366-6502. If you have questions on viewing or submitting 
material to the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program Manager, Docket 
Operations, telephone (202) 366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments

    If you have comments on how the Marine Safety Center Technical Note 
(MTN) on tonnage measurement may be obtained and the process by which 
the MTN is periodically updated, please submit your comments, 
identified by Coast Guard docket number USCG-2003-16682, to the Docket 
Management Facility located at the U.S. Department of Transportation. 
To avoid duplication, please use only one of the following methods:
    (1) Web site: http://dms.dot.gov.
    (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (3) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    (4) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (202) 366-9329.
    (5) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this notice as 
being available in the docket, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and 
conduct a simple search using the docket number. You may also visit the 
Docket Management Facility in room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Background

    The Coast Guard is responsible for maintaining regulations for 
assigning gross and net tonnages and registered dimensions to vessels. 
These regulations are found in title 46, Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), part 69, Measurement of Vessels. As was true for predecessor 
Federal agencies responsible for interpreting the tonnage measurement 
regulations, the Coast Guard has found it necessary to establish 
interpretations of these regulations to respond to novel situations, on 
a case-by-case basis, through policy decisions. Periodically, these 
policy decisions are evaluated as to their appropriateness for 
incorporation into the tonnage measurement regulations.

MTN 01-99, Tonnage Technical Policy

    MTN 01-99, Tonnage Technical Policy, is the current vehicle for 
ensuring that policy decisions are available to organizations 
authorized to perform tonnage measurement on behalf of the Coast Guard. 
MTNs are policy documents developed and issued by the Coast Guard 
Marine Safety Center (MSC), a Coast Guard headquarters unit responsible 
for tonnage measurement, plan review, and a number of other technical 
functions. All MTNs, including MTN 01-99, are posted on the MSC's Web 
site at www.uscg.mil/hq/msc. A copy of the current version of MTN 01-99 
is available in the docket (see ``Viewing Comments and Documents,'' 
above.) While MTN 01-99 is intended for use by organizations authorized 
to perform tonnage measurement on behalf of the Coast Guard, we 
recognize that it contains information that may affect decisions on 
vessel designs and that the public may benefit by our making it widely 
available to parties other than authorized measurement organizations.

Changes to MTN 01-99

    The MSC periodically issues changes to MTN 01-99 to keep it up-to-
date with relevant policy decisions. Since it was first published in 
1999, MTN 01-99 has undergone six changes. The current version of the 
document (MTN 01-99 Change 6) includes interpretations summarized as 
follows:

[[Page 71119]]

    1. Clarifications on the treatment of uncovered spaces with high 
sides under the convention measurement system.
    2. Interpretations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 
Tonnage Measurement Circular (TM. 5/Circ. 5), dated June 10, 1994.
    3. Interpretations relating to methods of calculating volumes that 
are considered to be accepted naval architectural practice.
    4. Novel Craft interpretations for offshore supply vessels (OSVs) 
that provide for ignoring uncovered cargo deck space when determining 
the total volume of all enclosed space.
    5. Clarifications on the number of allowed ``zero area'' tonnage 
stations under the standard measurement system.
    6. Criteria for tonnage length termination points.
    7. Criteria relative to ordinary frames including, maximum frame 
spacing and treatment of the frame openings and other discontinuities.
    8. Interpretations on establishing breadth measurements under the 
standard measurement system for multi-hull vessels.
    9. Interpretations eliminating the prohibition against using 
tonnage openings to exempt passenger space that is located on the 
uppermost complete deck.
    10. Interpretations relative to the progression of open space in 
structures under the standard measurement system.
    12. A procedure for calculating the tonnage of exemptible under-
deck water-ballast spaces.
    13. Clarification that a two-deck vessel cannot be assigned single 
tonnages under the dual measurement system, unless a load line is 
assigned.
    14. Interpretations relative to hull measurement termination points 
under the simplified measurement system.
    15. Clarifications addressing the treatment of various atypical 
shapes under the simplified measurement system, such as pontoon hulls, 
cathedral/multi-``vee'' hulls, and drydocks.
    To provide a mechanism for notification when a change to the MTN 
has been issued, the MSC's Web site has been recently updated to allow 
members of the public to add their e-mail addresses to an electronic 
mailing list for such notification. Also, in the future, we will notify 
the public via a notice in the Federal Register of changes to MTN 01-99 
that are believed to be of significant interest to the maritime 
industry.

    Dated: December 16, 2003.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 03-31389 Filed 12-19-03; 8:45 am]
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