THE US Coast Guard is proposing to expand the applicability of notice of arrival and departure (NOAD) and automatic identification system (AIS) requirements to more commercial vessels. This proposed rule would expand the applicability of AIS requirements, beyond Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) areas, to all US navigable waters and require AIS carriage for additional commercial vessels. Among craft to be included are most domestic passenger vessels.
The proposed rule would also expand the applicability of notice of arrival (NOA) requirements to additional vessels, establish a separate requirement for certain vessels to submit notices of departure (NOD), set forth a mandatory method for electronic submission of NOA and NOD, and modify related reporting content, timeframes, and procedures.
The Coast Guard claims: “These proposed changes would improve navigation safety, enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to identify and track vessels, heighten our overall maritime domain awareness, and thus help us address threats to maritime transportation safety and security and mitigate the possible harm from such threats.”