[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 97 (Thursday, May 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 28998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12282]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2007-0030]


Implementation of Revised Passenger Weight Standards for Existing 
Passenger Vessels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the publication of Officer of Vessel 
Activities (CG-543) Policy Letter 11-03: ``Implementation of Revised 
Passenger Weight Standards for Existing Passenger Vessels.'' This 
policy letter provides guidance on how the Coast Guard will amend 
Certificates of Inspection prior to a change in the assumed average 
weight per person standard that will become effective in December 2011.

DATES: The policy letter announced in this notice is effective on May 
19, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The policy letter and other documents mentioned in this 
preamble as being available in the docket, are part of docket USCG-
2007-0030 and are available for inspection or copying at the Docket 
Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 
20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. You may also find this docket on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. In addition:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning this 
notice, contact Lieutenant Commander David Webb, Passenger Vessel 
Program Manager, Office of Vessel Activities, Domestic Vessel 
Compliance Division (CG-543), telephone 202-372-1224 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background and Purpose

    The Coast Guard determines the maximum number of persons permitted 
on a vessel by several factors, including the total weight of people 
carried based on an Assumed Average Weight per Person (AAWPP). The 
Coast Guard published a Final Rule (75 FR 78064, December 14, 2010), 
which updated the AAWPP for new and existing inspected passenger 
vessels and is available in the docket. The relevant portions of the 
final rule will become effective on December 1, 2011. Because of the 
large number of passenger vessels affected by the Final Rule, it is not 
practical for the Coast Guard to amend all stability letters and 
Certificates of Inspection (COIs) prior to the effective date of the 
new AAWPP, nor is it reasonable to defer vessel operator compliance 
until all vessel documents are updated.
    For this reason, the policy letter referred to in this notice 
provides supplemental guidance to the implementation discussion 
contained in the preamble to the Final Rule. This policy letter 
provides guidance for existing passenger vessels and contains 
acceptable methods for passenger vessel owners and operators to 
demonstrate compliance with the new AAWPP. It also outlines procedures 
to be followed by both passenger vessel owners and operators and the 
Coast Guard in order to verify compliance and amend vessel documents as 
may be needed. Finally, the policy letter provides guidance on an 
alternative to the AAWPP, described in the final rule, that a vessel 
may use if the owner/operator can demonstrate that the average weight 
of passengers and crew routinely carried on that vessel differs 
significantly from the published AAWPP.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 46 CFR 
176.

    Dated: May 10, 2011.
Kevin S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-12282 Filed 5-18-11; 8:45 am]
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