155.230—Emergency control systems for tank barges.

(a) Application. This section does not apply to foreign vessels engaged in innocent passage (that is, neither entering nor leaving a U.S. port); it applies to tank barges and vessels towing them on the following waters:

(1) On the territorial sea of the U.S. [as defined in Presidential Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988, it is the belt of waters 12 nautical miles wide with its shoreward boundary the baseline of the territorial sea], unless—

(i) The barge is being pushed ahead of, or towed alongside, the towing vessel; and

(ii) The barge's coastwise route is restricted, on its certificate of inspection (COI), so the barge may operate “in fair weather only, within 20 miles of shore,” or with words to that effect. The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may define “fair weather” on the COI.

(2) In Great Lakes service unless—

(i) The barge is being pushed ahead of, or towed alongside, the towing vessel; and

(ii) The barge's route is restricted, on its certificate of inspection (COI), so the barge may operate “in fair weather only, within 5 miles of a harbor,” or with words to that effect. The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may define “fair weather” on the COI.

(3) On Long Island Sound. For the purposes of this section, Long Island Sound comprises the waters between the baseline of the territorial sea on the eastern end (from Watch Hill Point, Rhode Island, to Montauk Point, Long Island) and a line drawn north and south from Premium Point, New York (about 40°54.5′ N, 73°45.5′ W), to Hewlett Point, Long Island (about 40°50.5′ N, 73°45.3′ W), on the western end.

(4) In the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

(5) On the waters of Admiralty Inlet north of Marrowstone Point (approximately 48°06′ N, 122°41′ W).

(b) Safety program. If you are the owner or operator of a single-hull tank barge or of a vessel towing it, you must adequately man and equip either the barge or the vessel towing it so the crew can arrest the barge by employing Measure 1, described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Moreover, the crew must be able to arrest or retrieve the barge by employing either Measure 2 or Measure 3, described in paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section, respectively. If you are the owner or operator of a double-hull tank barge, you must adequately equip it and train its crew or, if it is unmanned, train the crew of the vessel towing it, so the crew can retrieve the barge by employing Measure 2 described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(1) Measure 1. Each single-hull tank barge, whether manned or unmanned, must be equipped with an operable anchoring system that conforms to 46 CFR 32.15-15; except that, for barges operating only on the West Coast of the U.S., a system comprising heavy surge gear and bridle legs may serve instead of the anchoring system. Because these systems will also serve as emergency control systems, the owner or operator must ensure that they meet the following criteria:

(i) Operation and performance. When the barge is underway—

(A) The system is ready for immediate use;

(B) No more than two crewmembers are needed to operate the system and anchor the barge or arrest its movement;

(C) While preparing to anchor the barge or arrest its movement, the operator of the system should confer with the master or mate of the towing vessel regarding appropriate length of cable or chain to use; and

(D) Each operator of the system should wear a safety belt or harness secured by a lanyard to a lifeline, drop line, or fixed structure such as a welded padeye, if the sea or the weather warrants this precaution. Each safety belt, harness, lanyard, lifeline, and drop line must meet the specifications of ANSI A10.14 (incorporated by reference, see § 155.140 ).

(ii) Maintenance and inspections. The owner or operator of the system shall inspect it annually. The inspection must verify that the system is ready for immediate use, and must include a visual inspection of the equipment that comprises the system in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection must also verify that the system is being maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection need not include actual demonstration of the operation of the equipment or system.

(iii) Training. On each manned barge, every crewmember must be thoroughly familiar with the operation of the system. On each vessel towing an unmanned barge, every deck crewmember must be thoroughly familiar with the operation of the system installed on the barge. If during the last 12 months the system was not used to anchor or arrest the movement of the barge, then a drill on the use of the system must be conducted within the next month. The drill need not involve actual deployment of the system. However, it must allow every participant to demonstrate the competencies (that is, the knowledge, skills, and abilities) needed to ensure that everyone assigned a duty in anchoring or arresting the movement of the barge is ready to do his or her duty.

(2) Measure 2. If you are the owner or operator of a tank barge or a vessel towing it and this section applies to you by virtue of paragraph (a) of this section, you must have installed an emergency retrieval system or some other measure acceptable to the Coast Guard, as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Any such system must meet the following criteria:

(i) Design. The system must use an emergency towline with at least the same pulling strength as required of the primary towline. The emergency towline must be readily available on either the barge or the vessel towing it. The towing vessel must have on board equipment to regain control of the barge and continue towing (using the emergency towline), without having to place personnel on board the barge.

(ii) Operation and performance. The system must use a stowage arrangement that ensures the readiness of the emergency towline and the availability of all retrieval equipment for immediate use in an emergency whenever the barge is being towed astern.

(iii) Maintenance and inspection. The owner or operator of the system shall inspect it annually. The inspection must verify that the emergency retrieval system is ready for immediate use, and must include a visual inspection of the equipment that comprises the system in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection must also verify that the system is being maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The inspection need not include actual demonstration of the operation of the equipment or system. Details concerning maintenance of towlines appear in 33 CFR 164.74(a)(3) and Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) No. 5-92. Our NVICs are available online at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nvic/index.htm.

(iv) Training. Barge-retrieval drills must take place annually, and not more than one month after a master or mate responsible for supervising barge retrieval begins employment on a vessel that tows tank barges.

(A) Each drill must allow every participant to demonstrate the competencies (that is, the knowledge, skills, and abilities) needed to ensure that everyone assigned a duty in barge retrieval is ready to do his or her part to regain control of a drifting barge.

(B) If the drill includes actual operation of a retrieval system, it must be conducted under the supervision of the master or mate responsible for retrieval, and preferably in open waters free from navigational hazards so as to minimize risk to personnel and the environment.

(3) Measure 3. If you are the owner or operator of a tank barge or a vessel towing it and this section applies to you by virtue of paragraph (a) of this section, you may use an alternative measure or system fit for retrieving a barge or arresting its movement as a substitute for Measure 2, described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section. Before you use such a measure or system, however, it must receive the approval of the Commandant (CG-521). It will receive this approval if it provides protection against grounding of the tank vessel comparable to that provided by one of the other two measures described in this section.

Code of Federal Regulations

[USCG-1998-4443, 65 FR 31811, May 19, 2000, as amended by USCG-2001-8661, 74 FR 45026, Aug. 31, 2009; USCG-2010-0351, 75 FR 36285, June 25, 2010]