33 CFR § 401.20 - Automatic Identification System | Cornell Law School

§ 401.20 Automatic Identification System.

(a) Each of the following vessels must use an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder to transit the Seaway:

  1. Each commercial vessel that requires pre-clearance in accordance with § 401.22 and has a 300 gross tonnage or greater, has a Length Over All (LOA) over 20 meters, or carries more than 50 passengers for hire; and

  2. Each dredge, floating plant or towing vessel over 8 meters in length, except only each lead unit of combined and multiple units (tugs and tows).

(b) Each vessel listed in paragraph (a) of this section must meet the following requirements to transit the Seaway:

  1. International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution MSC.74(69), Annex 3, Recommendation on Performance Standards for a Universal Shipborne AIS, as amended;

  2. International Telecommunication Union, ITU-R Recommendation M.1371-5: 2014, Technical Characteristics For A Universal Shipborne AIS Using Time Division Multiple Access In The VHF Maritime Mobile Band, as amended;

  3. International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC 61993-2 Ed.3, Maritime Navigation and Radio Communication Equipment and Systems - AIS - Part 2: Class A Shipborne Equipment of the Universal AIS - Operational and Performance Requirements, Methods of Test and Required Test Results, as amended;

  4. International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for Installation of Shipborne Automatic Identification System (AIS), NAV 48/18, 6 January 2003, as amended, and, for ocean vessels only, with a pilot plug, as specified in Section 3.2 of those Guidelines, installed close to the primary conning position in the navigation bridge and a standard 120 Volt, AC, 3-prong power receptacle accessible for the pilot’s laptop computer; and

  5. The Minimum Keyboard Display (MKD) shall be located as close as possible to the primary conning position and be visible;

  6. Computation of AIS position reports using a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS); or

  7. The use of a temporary unit meeting the requirements of subparagraphs (b)(1) through (6) of this section is permissible; or

  8. For each vessel with LOA less than 30 meters, the use of portable AIS compatible with the requirements of subparagraphs (b)(1) through (3) and subparagraphs (5) and (6) of this section is permissible.

[68 FR 9551, Feb. 28, 2003; 68 FR 11974, Mar. 13, 2003, as amended at 70 FR 12972, Mar. 17, 2005; 86 FR 15412, Mar. 23, 2021; 87 FR 12591, Mar. 7, 2022; 88 FR 14267, Mar. 8, 2023]