The Coast Guard has amended its Notice of Arrival
(NOA) regulations to require the owner, master,
operator, agent or person in charge of a vessel
required to submit an NOA report to identify
the charterer of the vessel. This new
requirement takes effect September 18. The
Coast Guard will use the
vessel charterer
information to identify charterers associated
with substandard vessels as part of the Port
State Control program. As part of the new
requirements, the identity of the individual or organization that contracts for the majority of the vessel's cargo carrying capacity must be listed in the NOA report.
The Coast Guard initiated this change to
33 CFR Part 160 in August 2000. However, the change was suspended by the October 2001
temporary final rule on NOA requirements put in place after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Coast Guard has now decided that the new requirement for
charterer information will be made to the
currently effective temporary sections of 33
CFR Part 160. When the permanent changes
to the NOA requirements are finalized next
year, they will include the addition of the
charterer information.