[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR164.72]

[Page 630-632]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 164_NAVIGATION SAFETY REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 164.72  Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications 
required on towing vessels.

    (a) Except as provided by Sec. 164.01(b), each towing vessel must 
be equipped with the following navigational-safety equipment:
    (1) Marine Radar. By August 2, 1997, a marine radar that meets the 
following applicable requirements:
    (i) For a vessel of less than 300 tons gross tonnage that engages in 
towing on navigable waters of the U.S., including Western Rivers, the 
radar must meet--
    (A) The requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 
specified by 47 CFR part 80; and
    (B) RTCM Standard for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of 
Less Than 300 Tons Gross Tonnage, RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-STD, Version 
1.1, display Category II and stabilization Category Bravo.
    (ii) For a vessel of less than 300 tons gross tonnage that engages 
in towing seaward of navigable waters of the U.S. or more than three 
nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, the radar must meet--
    (A) The requirements of the FCC specified by 47 CFR part 80; and
    (B) RTCM Standard for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of 
Less Than 300 Tons Gross Tonnage, RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-STD, Version 
1.1, display Category I and stabilization Category Alpha.
    (iii) For a vessel of 300 tons gross tonnage or more that engages in 
towing on navigable waters of the U.S., including Western rivers, the 
radar must meet--
    (A) The requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 
specified by 47 CFR part 80; and
    (B) RTCM Recommended Standards for Marine Radar Equipment Installed 
on Ships of 300 Tons Gross Tonnage and Upwards, RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112-
X, Version 1.2 except the requirements for azimuth stabilization in 
paragraph 3.10.

[[Page 631]]

    (iv) For a vessel of 300 tons gross tonnage or more that engages in 
towing seaward of navigable waters of the U.S. or more than three 
nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, the radar must meet--
    (A) The requirements of the FCC specified by 47 CFR Part 80; and
    (B) RTCM Recommended Standards for Marine Radar Equipment Installed 
on Ships of 300 Tons Gross Tonnage and Upwards, RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112-
X, Version 1.2.
    (v) A towing vessel with an existing radar must meet the applicable 
requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) (i) through (iv) of this section by 
August 2, 1998; except that a towing vessel with an existing radar must 
meet the display and stabilization requirements of paragraph 
(a)(1)(ii)(B) of this section by August 2, 2001.
    (2) Searchlight. A searchlight, directable from the vessel's main 
steering station and capable of illuminating objects at a distance of at 
least two times the length of the tow.
    (3) VHF-FM Radio. An installation or multiple installations of VHF-
FM radios as prescribed by part 26 of this chapter and 47 CFR part 80, 
to maintain a continuous listening watch on the designated calling 
channel, VHF-FM Channel 13 (except on portions of the Lower Mississippi 
River, where VHF-FM Channel 67 is the designated calling channel), and 
to separately monitor the International Distress and Calling Channel, 
VHF-FM Channel 16, except when transmitting or receiving traffic on 
other VHF-FM channels or when participating in a Vessel Traffic Service 
(VTS) or monitoring a channel of a VTS. (Each U.S. towing vessel of 26 
feet (about 8 meters) or more in length, except a public vessel, must 
hold a ship-radio-station license for radio transmitters (including 
radar and EPIRBs), and each operator must hold a restricted operator's 
license or higher. To get an application for either license, call (800) 
418-FORM or (202) 418-FORM, or write to the FCC; Wireless Bureau, 
Licensing Division; 1270 Fairfield Road; Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.)
    (4) Magnetic Compass. Either--
    (i) An illuminated swing-meter or an illuminated car-type magnetic 
steering compass readable from the vessel's main steering station, if 
the vessel engages in towing exclusively on Western Rivers; or
    (ii) An illuminated card-type magnetic steering compass readable 
from the vessel's main steering station.
    (5) Echo Depth-Sounding Device. By August 2, 2001, an echo depth-
sounding device readable from the vessel's main steering station, unless 
the vessel engages in towing exclusively on Western Rivers.
    (6) Electronic Position-Fixing Device. An electronic position-fixing 
device, either a LORAN-C receiver or a satellite navigational system 
such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) as required by Sec. 164.41, 
if the vessel engages in towing seaward of navigable waters of the U.S. 
or more than three nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes.
    (b) Each towing vessel must carry on board and maintain the 
following:
    (1) Charts or maps. Marine charts or maps of the areas to be 
transited, published by the National Ocean Service (NOS), the ACOE, or a 
river authority that satisfy the following requirements:
    (i) The charts or maps must be of a large enough scale and have 
enough detail to make safe navigation of the areas possible.
    (ii) The charts or maps must be either--
    (A) Current editions or currently corrected editions, if the vessel 
engages in towing exclusively on navigable waters of the U.S., including 
Western Rivers; or
    (B) Currently corrected editions, if the vessel engages in towing 
seaward of navigable waters of the U.S. or more than three nautical 
miles from shore on the Great Lakes.
    (iii) The charts or maps may be, instead of charts or maps required 
by paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section, currently corrected 
marine charts or maps, or applicable extracts, published by a foreign 
government. These charts or maps, or applicable extracts, must contain 
information similar to that on the charts or maps required by paragraphs 
(b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section, be of large enough scale, and have 
enough detail to make safe navigation of the areas possible, and must be 
currently corrected.

[[Page 632]]

    (2) General publications. A currently corrected edition of, or an 
applicable currently corrected extract from, each of the following 
publications for the area to be transited:
    (i) If the vessel is engaged in towing exclusively on Western 
Rivers--
    (A) U.S. Coast Guard Light List;
    (B) Applicable Notices to Navigation published by the ACOE, or Local 
Notices to Mariners (LNMs) published by the Coast Guard, for the area to 
be transited, when available; and
    (C) River-current tables published by the ACOE or a river authority, 
if available.
    (ii) If the vessel is engaged other than in towing exclusively on 
Western Rivers--
    (A) Coast Guard Light List;
    (B) Notices to Mariners published by the National Imagery and 
Mapping Agency, or LNMs published by the Coast Guard;
    (C) Tidal-current tables published by private entities using data 
provided by the NOS, or river-current tables published by the ACOE or a 
river authority:
    (D) Tide tables published by private entities using data provided by 
the NOS; and
    (E) U.S. Coast Pilot.
    (c) Table 164.72, following, summarizes the navigational-safety 
equipment, charts or maps, and publications required for towing vessels 
of 12 meters or more in length engaged in towing:

   Table 164.72--Equipment, Charts or Maps, and Publications for Towing Vessels of12 Meters or More in Length
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Waters seaward of
                                                                 U.S. navigable waters    navigable waters and 3
                                            Western rivers         other than western     NM or more from shore
                                                                         rivers             on the Great Lakes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marine Radar:
  Towing Vessels of Less Than 300 GT.  RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-  RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-  RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-
                                        STD Version 1.1,         STD Version 1.1,         STD Version 1.1,
                                        Display Category II      Display Category II      Display Category I \2\
                                        \1\ Stabilization        \1\ Stabilization        Stabilization Category
                                        Category BRAVO.          Category BRAVO.          ALPHA.
  Towing Vessels of 300 GT or More...  RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112- RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112- RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112-
                                        X Version 1.2 (except    X Version 1.2 (except    X Version 1.2.\1\
                                        the Azmuth               the Azmuth
                                        stabilization            stabilization
                                        requirement in           requirement in
                                        paragraph 3.10).\1\.     paragraph 3.10).\1\.
  Searchlight........................             X                        X                        X
  VHF-FM Radio.......................             X                        X                        X
  Magnetic Compass...................           X \3\                      X                        X
  Swing-Meter........................           X \3\
  Echo Depth-Sounding Device.........                                      X                        X
  Electronic Position-Fixing Device..                                                               X
  Charts or Maps.....................  (1) Large enough scale.  (1) Large enough scale.  (1) Large enough scale.
                                       (2) Current edition or   (2) Current edition or   (2) Currently corrected
                                        currently corrected      currently corrected      edition.
                                        edition.                 edition.
  General Publications...............  (1) U.S. Coast Guard     (1) U.S. Coast Guard     (1) U.S. Coast Guard
                                        Light List.              Light List.              Light List.
                                       (2) Notices to           (2) Local Notices to     (2) Local Notices to
                                        Navigation or Local      Mariners.                Mariners.
                                        Notices to Mariners.
                                       (3) River-current        (3) Tidal-current        (3) Tidal-current
                                        Tables.                  Tables.                  Tables.
                                                                (4) Tide Tables........  (4) Tide Tables.
                                                                (5) U.S. Coast Pilot...  (5) U.S. Coast Pilot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
\1\ Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998.
\2\ Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998 but do not need to meet the
  display and stabilization requirements until August 2, 2001.
\3\ A towing vessel may carry either a swing-meter or a magnetic compass.


[CGD 94-020, 61 FR 35073, July 3, 1996, as amended by CGD 97-034, 62 FR 
40272, July 28, 1997; USCG-1999-5832, 64 FR 34715, June 29, 1999; USCG-
2001-9286, 66 FR 33641, June 25, 2001]