[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: 33CFR164.46]

[Page 610-611]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 164--NAVIGATION SAFETY REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 164.46  Automatic Identification System (AIS).

    (a) The following vessels must have an installed, operational AIS 
that complies with the IMO Resolution MSC.74(69), ITU-R Recommendation 
M.1371-1, and IEC 61993-2, and that is installed using IMO SN/Circ.277 
(Incorporated by reference, see Sec. 164.03) as of the date specified. 
``Length'' refers to ``registered length'' as defined in 46 CFR, part 
69.
    (1) Self-propelled vessels of 65 feet or more in length engaged in 
commercial service and on an international voyage, not later than 
December 31, 2004.
    (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the following 
vessels subject to the International Convention for Safety at Life at 
Sea, 1974, (SOLAS) as amended, that are on an international voyage must 
also comply with SOLAS, chapter V, as amended by

[[Page 611]]

SOLAS 2000 Amendments and Conference resolution 1 (Incorporated by 
reference, see Sec. 164.03):
    (i) Passenger vessels, of 150 gross tonnage or more, not later than 
July 1, 2003;
    (ii) Tankers, regardless of tonnage, not later than the first safety 
survey for safety equipment on or after July 1, 2003;
    (iii) Vessels, other than passenger vessels or tankers, of 50,000 
gross tonnage or more, not later than July 1, 2004; and
    (iv) Vessels, other than passenger vessels or tankers, of 300 gross 
tonnage or more but less than 50,000 gross tonnage, not later than the 
first safety survey for safety equipment on or after July 1, 2004, but 
no later than December 31, 2004.
    (b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, 
the following vessels, transiting an area listed in table 161.12(c) of 
Sec. 161.12 of this part.
    (1) Each self-propelled vessel of 65 feet or more in length, engaged 
in commercial service;
    (2) Each towing vessel of 26 feet or more in length and more than 
600 horsepower;
    (3) Each vessel of 100 gross tons or more carrying one or more 
passengers for hire; and
    (4) Each passenger vessel certificated to carry 50 or more 
passengers for hire.
    (c) The vessels listed in paragraph (b) of this section must comply 
according to the following schedule:
    (1) For VTS St. Marys River, not later than December 31, 2003;
    (2) For VTS Berwick Bay, VMRS Los Angeles/Long Beach, VTS Lower 
Mississippi River, VTS Port Arthur and VTS Prince William Sound, not 
later than July 1, 2004; and
    (3) For VTS Houston-Galveston, VTS New York, VTS Puget Sound, and 
VTS San Francisco, not later than December 31, 2004.
    (d) The requirements for Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge radiotelephones in 
Sec.Sec. 26.04(a) and (c), 26.05, 26.06 and 26.07 of this chapter, also 
apply to AIS. The term ``effective operating condition'' used in Sec. 
26.06 includes accurate input and upkeep of all AIS data fields, 
including estimated time of arrival, destination, and number of people 
on board.
    (e) The use of a portable AIS is permissible, only to the extent 
that electromagnetic interference does not affect the proper function of 
existing navigation and communication equipment on board, and such that 
only one AIS unit may be in operation at any one time.
    (f) The AIS Pilot Plug, on each vessel over 1,600 gross tons, on 
international voyage, shall be available for pilot use, easily 
accessible from the primary conning position of the vessel, and near an 
AC power receptacle.

[USCG-2003-14757, 68 FR 39367, July 1, 2003]