[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 118 (Thursday, June 19, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 35177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14403]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-1156]


Draft Change to Navigation and Inspection Circular 01-13, 
Inspection and Certification of Vessels Under the Maritime Security 
Program

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of a draft change 
to Navigation and Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-13, Inspection and 
Certification of Vessels Under the Maritime Security Program (MSP). The 
MSP serves as a means for establishing a fleet of commercially viable 
and militarily useful vessels to meet national defense as well as other 
security requirements. NVIC 01-13 provides guidance to assist vessel 
owners/operators, Authorized Classification Societies, and Coast Guard 
personnel with the inspection and certification of vessels under the 
MSP. This draft change clarifies the process for the issuance of the 
Certificate of Documentation (COD) to the vessel during the reflag 
process, adds a note to the equivalency provisions for inspection of 
MSP vessels subsequent to initial certification, clarifies the trial 
period requirements for automated systems in machinery spaces, includes 
interim provisions for those vessels seeking to operate with minimally 
attended or periodically unattended machinery spaces, and makes other 
non-technical changes to NVIC 01-13. This notice solicits public 
comment on the impact of the draft change to NVIC 01-13 on applicable 
vessels and other affected parties.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to the 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov or reach the Docket 
Management Facility, on or before August 18, 2014. Documents discussed 
in this notice should be available in the online docket within three 
business days of today's publication.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments using one of the listed methods, and see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for more information on public comments.
     Online--http:www.regulations.gov following Web site 
instructions.
     Fax--202-493-2251.
     Mail or hand deliver--Docket Management Facility (M-30), 
U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hours 
for hand delivery are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays (telephone 202-366-9329).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document, 
call or email Lieutenant Corydon Heard, Office of Commercial Vessel 
Compliance (CG-CVC), U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1208, email 
[email protected]. For information about viewing or submitting 
material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket 
Operations, telephone 202-366-9826, toll free 1-800-647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments (or related material) on the 
draft change to NVIC 01-13. We will consider all submissions and may 
adjust our final action based on your comments. Comments should be 
marked with docket number USCG-2011-1156 and should provide a reason 
for each suggestion or recommendation. You should provide personal 
contact information so that we can contact you if we have questions 
regarding your comments; but please note that all comments will be 
posted to the online docket without change and that any personal 
information you include can be searchable online (see the Federal 
Register Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets, 73 FR 3316, 
January 17, 2008).
    Mailed or hand-delivered comments should be in an unbound 8\1/2\ x 
11 inch format suitable for reproduction. The Docket Management 
Facility will acknowledge receipt of mailed comments if you enclose a 
stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope with your submission.
    Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public comments, are in 
our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by 
following the Web site's instructions. You can also view the docket at 
the Docket Management Facility (see the mailing address under 
ADDRESSES) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
    NVIC 01-13 provides uniform process guidance to assist vessel 
owners/operators, Authorized Classification Societies, and Coast Guard 
personnel regarding the MSP. Vessels that meet MSP eligibility criteria 
may obtain a Certificate Of Inspection (COI) by following the 
procedures and guidelines detailed in NVIC 01-13. NVIC 01-13 was first 
published in February 2013. As part of the first annual review, the 
Coast Guard has considered policy guidance enhancements in order to 
better facilitate the transition of vessels to U.S. registry under the 
MSP. This notice announces a change that would clarify trial period 
requirements for automated systems in machinery spaces, include interim 
provisions for those vessels seeking to operate with minimally attended 
or periodically unattended machinery spaces, and make other non-
technical changes to NVIC 01-13.
    Specifically, this draft change to NVIC 01-13 clarifies the process 
for the issuance of the Certificate of Documentation (COD) to the 
vessel during the reflag process, adds a note to the equivalency 
provisions for inspection of MSP vessels subsequent to initial 
certification, clarifies the trial period requirements for automated 
systems in machinery spaces, and includes interim provisions for those 
vessels seeking to operate with minimally attended or periodically 
unattended machinery spaces (MAMS/PUMS), which do not otherwise meet 
the requirements of 46 CFR 62.50-20 and/or 62.50-30 (as appropriate).
    We request comments from all interested parties on this draft 
change to NVIC 01-13. The Coast Guard will consider all comments on 
this draft change before issuing an updated version of NVIC 01-13.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: June 11, 2014.
Jonathan C. Burton,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director, Inspections and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2014-14403 Filed 6-18-14; 8:45 am]
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