46 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter B - MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is updating its regulations to reflect required annual inflation-related increases to the civil monetary penalties in its regulations, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvement Act of 2015. This final rule adjusts civil penalty amounts for violations of procedures related to the American Fisheries Act, certain regulated transactions involving documented vessels, the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue program (AMVER) and the Defense Production Act. MARAD finds that good cause exists for immediate implementation of this final rule because prior notice and comment are unnecessary, per the specific provisions of the 2015 Act.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify its calculations for hourly pilotage rates on the Great Lakes by accounting for the “weighting factor,” which is a multiplier that can increase the pilotage costs for larger vessels traversing areas in the Great Lakes by a factor of up to 1.45. While the weighting factor has existed for decades, it has never been included in any of the previous ratemaking calculations. We propose to add steps to our rate-setting methodology to adjust hourly rates downwards by an amount equal to the average weighting factor, so that when the weighting factor is applied, the cost to the shippers and the corresponding revenue generated for the pilot associations will adjust to what was originally intended. We note that until a final rule is produced, the 2016 rates will stay in effect, even if a final rule is not published by the start of the 2017 season.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission) amends its rules governing Service Contracts and NVOCC Service Arrangements. The rule is intended to update and modernize the Commission's regulations and reduce the regulatory burden.

The Commission is publishing its adjustments to inflation annually, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Act). The 2015 Act requires that agencies adjust and publish their civil penalties by January 15th each year.

The Federal Maritime Commission is temporarily delaying the effective date of its December 22, 2016 final rule reorganizing several subparts of its Rules of Practice and Procedure and revising its rules regarding presentation of evidence in Commission proceedings.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the monetary property damage threshold amounts for reporting a marine casualty, and for reporting a type of marine casualty called a “serious marine incident” (SMI). The initial regulations setting these dollar threshold amounts were promulgated in the early1980s and they have not been updated. Because the monetary thresholds for reporting have not kept pace with inflation, relatively minor casualties must be reported. Additionally, the regulations require mandatory drug and alcohol testing following an SMI; consequently, testing is being conducted for casualties that are less significant than those intended to be captured by the original regulations. Updating the regulations will reduce the burden on vessel owners and operators, and will also reduce the amount of Coast Guard resources expended to investigate these incidents.

This notice serves to inform interested parties and the public that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) proposes to revise in full Title 46 Part 393 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which concerns the America's Marine Highway Program (AMHP). This action is necessary to implement provisions of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 (CGMTA), to improve AMHP processes and to streamline the regulations. MARAD solicits written comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Federal Maritime Commission amends its regulations for processing requests for information and records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The regulations are being revised to incorporate changes brought by amendments to the FOIA under the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. The Act requires agencies to review their FOIA regulations and issue regulations implementing the amendments no later than 180 days after enactment.

This document contains a correction to the effective date of the final rule published in the Federal Register of December 22, 2016, concerning Presentation of Evidence in Commission Proceedings.

The Federal Maritime Commission is reorganizing several subparts of its Rules of Practice and Procedure and revising its rules regarding presentation of evidence in Commission proceedings.

This proposed rule would add a new Polar Ship Certificate to the list of existing certificates required to be carried on board all U.S. and foreign-flagged vessels subject to the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters, generally above 60 degrees north latitude and below 60 degrees south latitude lines. Additionally, the Coast Guard proposes to add this certificate to the list of SOLAS certificates that recognized classification societies are authorized to issue on behalf of the Coast Guard. The proposed rule would apply to commercial cargo ships greater than 500 gross tons engaging in international voyages, and passenger ships carrying more than 12 passengers engaging in international voyages, when these ships operate within polar waters as defined by the Polar Code.

The Coast Guard announces that it has received approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an information collection request associated with the Requirements for Vessels with Registry Endorsements or Foreign-Flagged Vessels that Perform Certain Aquaculture Support Operations final rule we published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2016. In that rule, we stated the final rule will impose a new information collection requirement and that we would submit this new information collection requirement to OMB for its review. OMB approved this new collection of information on September 28, 2016, and assigned it OMB Control Number 1625-0126.

The Coast Guard proposes new base pilotage rates and surcharges using the methodology instituted in 2016. The changes would take effect 30 days after publication of a final rule. Rates for pilotage services on the Great Lakes were last revised in March 2016 and, by law, must be reviewed annually.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations to implement Subsection 901(c) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010, which grants the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) the authority to issue a waiver allowing a documented vessel with only a registry endorsement or a foreign-flagged vessel to be used in certain aquaculture operations. Specifically, those operations include the treatment and/or protection of aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic infestation, or other threats to their health. The new part establishes the requirement for an owner or operator of a vessel that is issued a waiver allowing the vessel to conduct aquaculture support operations by the Secretary of DOT to notify the Coast Guard that the vessel owner or operator has been issued such a waiver. The part also establishes operational and geographic requirements for vessels that are issued such a waiver.

The Federal Maritime Commission (Commission) is amending its user fees to more accurately align fees with the costs associated with each service provided by the Commission. Specifically, the Commission is increasing fees for: Filing complaints and certain petitions; records searches, document copying, and admissions to practice; paper filing of ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) applications; filing applications for special permission; and filing agreements. The Commission is also lowering fees for: Reviewing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests; revising clerical errors on service contracts; revising clerical errors on non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) service arrangements; and Commission services to passenger vessel operators (PVOs). In addition, the Commission is repealing four existing fees for: Adding interested parties to a specific docket mailing list; the Regulated Persons Index database; database reports on Effective Carrier Agreements; and filing petitions for rulemaking, and adding a new fee for requests for expedited review of an agreement filing.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission) proposes to amend its rules governing Service Contracts and NVOCC Service Arrangements. The proposed rule is intended to update, modernize, and reduce the regulatory burden.

The Coast Guard is providing the following information on dynamic positioning training certification programs.