46 CFR Part 108, Subpart I - Navigation Bridge Visibility

This rule finalizes the amendments to Coast Guard regulations for certain lifesaving equipment, including launching appliances (winches and davits), release mechanisms, survival craft (lifeboats, inflatable liferafts, and inflatable buoyant apparatus), rescue boats, and automatic disengaging devices, which were published as an interim rule and amended by a second interim rule. Additionally, it finalizes the amendments to the requirements for Coast Guard-approved release mechanisms proposed in a supplementary notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM). This final rule harmonizes the Coast Guard's design, construction, and performance standards for this lifesaving equipment with international standards, while providing for the use of qualified independent laboratories, instead of Coast Guard inspectors, during the approval process and for production inspections of certain types of lifesaving equipment.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulations for certain design and approval standards for fire protection, detection, and extinguishing equipment on inspected and uninspected vessels, outer continental shelf facilities, deepwater ports, and mobile offshore drilling units. The proposed amendments would harmonize Coast Guard regulations with appropriate national and international consensus standards; address advances in fire protection technologies and standards; update Coast Guard approval processes for fire detection and alarm systems; and revise Coast Guard regulations for other types of equipment or components, such as spanner wrenches, non-metallic pipes, and sprinkler systems. These proposed changes are necessary to ensure Coast Guard regulations remain current and address advances in technology.

The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule that makes non-substantive changes throughout titles 46 and 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard shipping and transportation regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of titles 46 and 49 on October 1, 2013.

The Coast Guard proposes to revise regulations related to the design, certification, inspection, and testing of cranes. These regulations apply to cranes installed on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs), Offshore Supply Vessels (OSVs), and floating Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) facilities. This revision would update industry standards incorporated by reference with more recent versions, which are used by industry and incorporated in Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement regulations. Additionally, the Coast Guard proposes to revise regulations regarding certification, inspection, and testing of cranes by allowing use of additional organizations to act in lieu of Coast Guard marine inspectors.

Many of the Coast Guard's regulations incorporate by reference consensus standards that are developed by organizations other than the Coast Guard. This final rule updates references to standards developed by ASTM International, that have been reapproved, without change, since their incorporation into Coast Guard regulation. This rule does not address standards that have changed substantively, and it will not have any substantive impact on the regulated public.

This final rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Titles 46 and 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard shipping and transportation regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of Titles 46 and 49 on October 1, 2012.