46 CFR 2 - VESSEL INSPECTIONS

Federal law requires that classification societies conducting certain work in the United States be approved by the Coast Guard. In this rule, we finalize application procedures and performance standards that classification societies must meet in order to obtain approval by the Coast Guard. Through this final rule, we seek to improve marine safety and environmental protection by assuring the consistency and quality of work conducted by classification societies that review, examine, survey, or certify the construction, repair, or alteration of a vessel in the United States.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its correction published on March 29, 2012, to a direct final rule published on December 14, 2011 and withdrawn on April 6, 2012. The correction was published to correct an inadvertent transposition in the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions and to publish vessel inspection tables in their entirety so that the format of the tables would be consistent with current Federal Register format requirements. The direct final rule was withdrawn on April 6, 2012, because we received two adverse comments and the direct final rule will not become effective as scheduled. Therefore, we must also withdraw the vessel inspection tables published as part of the correction because they are not consistent with the current regulatory text.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its direct final rule published on December 14, 2011. The direct final rule notified the public of the Coast Guard's intent to revise regulations for the inspection and certification of seagoing barges to align with the language of the applicable statutes. We are withdrawing that rule because we received two adverse comments. That rule will not become effective as scheduled. Instead, we plan to consider these issues in a notice of proposed rulemaking.

The United States Coast Guard published a direct final rule in the Federal Register on December 14, 2011 (76 FR 77712) revising regulations for the inspection and certification of seagoing barges to align with the language of the applicable statues. That document inadvertently transposed the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions. Additionally, the Coast Guard is republishing the vessel inspection tables that rule amends in their entirety, so that the format of the tables is consistent with current Federal Register format requirements.

Federal law requires that classification societies conducting certain work in the United States be approved by the Coast Guard. In this rule, we finalize application procedures and performance standards that classification societies must meet in order to obtain approval by the Coast Guard. Through this final rule, we seek to improve marine safety and environmental protection by assuring the consistency and quality of work conducted by classification societies that review, examine, survey, or certify the construction, repair, or alteration of a vessel in the United States.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its correction published on March 29, 2012, to a direct final rule published on December 14, 2011 and withdrawn on April 6, 2012. The correction was published to correct an inadvertent transposition in the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions and to publish vessel inspection tables in their entirety so that the format of the tables would be consistent with current Federal Register format requirements. The direct final rule was withdrawn on April 6, 2012, because we received two adverse comments and the direct final rule will not become effective as scheduled. Therefore, we must also withdraw the vessel inspection tables published as part of the correction because they are not consistent with the current regulatory text.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its direct final rule published on December 14, 2011. The direct final rule notified the public of the Coast Guard's intent to revise regulations for the inspection and certification of seagoing barges to align with the language of the applicable statutes. We are withdrawing that rule because we received two adverse comments. That rule will not become effective as scheduled. Instead, we plan to consider these issues in a notice of proposed rulemaking.

The United States Coast Guard published a direct final rule in the Federal Register on December 14, 2011 (76 FR 77712) revising regulations for the inspection and certification of seagoing barges to align with the language of the applicable statues. That document inadvertently transposed the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions. Additionally, the Coast Guard is republishing the vessel inspection tables that rule amends in their entirety, so that the format of the tables is consistent with current Federal Register format requirements.