[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR155.230]
[Page 375-377]
TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
PART 155--OIL OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL POLLUTION PREVENTION REGULATIONS FOR
VESSELS--Table of Contents
Subpart B--Vessel Equipment
Sec. 155.230 Emergency control systems for tank barges.
(a) Application. This section does not apply to foreign vessels
engaged in innocent passage (that is, neither entering nor leaving a
U.S. port); it applies to tank barges and vessels towing them on the
following waters:
(1) On the territorial sea of the U.S. [as defined in Presidential
Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988, it is the belt of waters 12
nautical miles wide with its shoreward boundary the baseline of the
territorial sea], unless--
(i) The barge is being pushed ahead of, or towed alongside, the
towing vessel; and
(ii) The barge's coastwise route is restricted, on its certificate
of inspection (COI), so the barge may operate ``in fair weather only,
within 20 miles of shore,'' or with words to that effect.
[[Page 376]]
The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may define ``fair weather'' on
the COI.
(2) In Great Lakes service unless--
(i) The barge is being pushed ahead of, or towed alongside, the
towing vessel; and
(ii) The barge's route is restricted, on its certificate of
inspection (COI), so the barge may operate ``in fair weather only,
within 5 miles of a harbor,'' or with words to that effect. The Officer
in Charge, Marine Inspection, may define ``fair weather'' on the COI.
(3) On Long Island Sound. For the purposes of this section, Long
Island Sound comprises the waters between the baseline of the
territorial sea on the eastern end (from Watch Hill Point, Rhode Island,
to Montauk Point, Long Island) and a line drawn north and south from
Premium Point, New York (about 4054.5[min]N, 7345.5[min]W), to
Hewlett Point, Long Island (about 4050.5[min]N, 7345.3[min]W),
on the western end.
(4) In the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
(5) On the waters of Admiralty Inlet north of Marrowstone Point
(approximately 4806[min]N, 12241[min]W).
(b) Safety program. If you are the owner or operator of a single-
hull tank barge or of a vessel towing it, you must adequately man and
equip either the barge or the vessel towing it so the crew can arrest
the barge by employing Measure 1, described in paragraph (b)(1) of this
section. Moreover, the crew must be able to arrest or retrieve the barge
by employing either Measure 2 or Measure 3, described in paragraphs
(b)(2) and (3) of this section, respectively. If you are the owner or
operator of a double-hull tank barge, you must adequately equip it and
train its crew or, if it is unmanned, train the crew of the vessel
towing it, so the crew can retrieve the barge by employing Measure 2
described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(1) Measure 1. Each single-hull tank barge, whether manned or
unmanned, must be equipped with an operable anchoring system that
conforms to 46 CFR 32.15-15; except that, for barges operating only on
the West Coast of the U.S., a system comprising heavy surge gear and
bridle legs may serve instead of the anchoring system. Because these
systems will also serve as emergency control systems, the owner or
operator must ensure that they meet the following criteria:
(i) Operation and performance. When the barge is underway--
(A) The system is ready for immediate use;
(B) No more than two crewmembers are needed to operate the system
and anchor the barge or arrest its movement;
(C) While preparing to anchor the barge or arrest its movement, the
operator of the system should confer with the master or mate of the
towing vessel regarding appropriate length of cable or chain to use; and
(D) Each operator of the system should wear a safety belt or harness
secured by a lanyard to a lifeline, drop line, or fixed structure such
as a welded padeye, if the sea or the weather warrants this precaution.
Each safety belt, harness, lanyard, lifeline, and drop line must meet
the specifications of ANSI A10.14.
(ii) Maintenance and inspections. The owner or operator of the
system shall inspect it annually. The inspection must verify that the
system is ready for immediate use, and must include a visual inspection
of the equipment that comprises the system in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection must also verify that the
system is being maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations. The inspection need not include actual demonstration of
the operation of the equipment or system.
(iii) Training. On each manned barge, every crewmember must be
thoroughly familiar with the operation of the system. On each vessel
towing an unmanned barge, every deck crewmember must be thoroughly
familiar with the operation of the system installed on the barge. If
during the last 12 months the system was not used to anchor or arrest
the movement of the barge, then a drill on the use of the system must be
conducted within the next month. The drill need not involve actual
deployment of the system. However, it must allow every participant to
demonstrate the competencies (that is, the knowledge, skills, and
abilities) needed to ensure that everyone assigned a duty in
[[Page 377]]
anchoring or arresting the movement of the barge is ready to do his or
her duty.
(2) Measure 2. If you are the owner or operator of a tank barge or a
vessel towing it and this section applies to you by virtue of paragraph
(a) of this section, you must have installed an emergency retrieval
system or some other measure acceptable to the Coast Guard, as provided
in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Any such system must meet the
following criteria:
(i) Design. The system must use an emergency towline with at least
the same pulling strength as required of the primary towline. The
emergency towline must be readily available on either the barge or the
vessel towing it. The towing vessel must have on board equipment to
regain control of the barge and continue towing (using the emergency
towline), without having to place personnel on board the barge.
(ii) Operation and performance. The system must use a stowage
arrangement that ensures the readiness of the emergency towline and the
availability of all retrieval equipment for immediate use in an
emergency whenever the barge is being towed astern.
(iii) Maintenance and inspection. The owner or operator of the
system shall inspect it annually. The inspection must verify that the
emergency retrieval system is ready for immediate use, and must include
a visual inspection of the equipment that comprises the system in
accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection must
also verify that the system is being maintained in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection need not include actual
demonstration of the operation of the equipment or system. Details
concerning maintenance of towlines appear in 33 CFR 164.74(a)(3) and
Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) No. 5-92. Our NVICs are
available online at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nvic/index.htm.
(iv) Training. Barge-retrieval drills must take place annually, and
not more than one month after a master or mate responsible for
supervising barge retrieval begins employment on a vessel that tows tank
barges.
(A) Each drill must allow every participant to demonstrate the
competencies (that is, the knowledge, skills, and abilities) needed to
ensure that everyone assigned a duty in barge retrieval is ready to do
his or her part to regain control of a drifting barge.
(B) If the drill includes actual operation of a retrieval system, it
must be conducted under the supervision of the master or mate
responsible for retrieval, and preferably in open waters free from
navigational hazards so as to minimize risk to personnel and the
environment.
(3) Measure 3. If you are the owner or operator of a tank barge or a
vessel towing it and this section applies to you by virtue of paragraph
(a) of this section, you may use an alternative measure or system fit
for retrieving a barge or arresting its movement as a substitute for
Measure 2, described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section. Before you use
such a measure or system, however, it must receive the approval of the
Commandant (G-MSE). It will receive this approval if it provides
protection against grounding of the tank vessel comparable to that
provided by one of the other two measures described in this section.
[USCG-1998-4443, 65 FR 31811, May 19, 2000]