§ 1203. — Radiotelephone requirement.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 33USC1203]
TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
CHAPTER 24--VESSEL BRIDGE-TO-BRIDGE COMMUNICATION
Sec. 1203. Radiotelephone requirement
(a) Vessel coverage; exchange of navigational information
Except as provided in section 1206 of this title--
(1) every power-driven vessel of twenty meters or over in length
while navigating;
(2) every vessel of one hundred gross tons as measured under
section 14502 of title 46, or an alternate tonnage measured under
section 14302 of that title as prescribed by the Secretary under
section 14104 of that title, and upward carrying one or more
passengers for hire while navigating;
(3) every towing vessel of twenty-six feet or over in length
while navigating; and
(4) every dredge and floating plant engaged in or near a channel
or fairway in operations likely to restrict or affect navigation of
other vessels--
shall have a radiotelephone capable of operation from its navigational
bridge or, in the case of a dredge, from its main control station and
capable of transmitting and receiving on the frequency or frequencies
within the 156-162 Mega-Hertz band using the classes of emissions
designated by the Federal Communications Commission, after consultation
with other cognizant agencies, for the exchange of navigational
information.
(b) Vessels upon navigable waters of United States inside high seas
lines
The radiotelephone required by subsection (a) of this section shall
be carried on board the described vessels, dredges, and floating plants
upon the navigable waters of the United States, which includes all
waters of the territorial sea of the United States as described in
Presidential Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988.
(Pub. L. 92-63, Sec. 4, Aug. 4, 1971, 85 Stat. 164; Pub. L. 102-241,
Sec. 16, Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2213; Pub. L. 104-324, title VII,
Sec. 704, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3933; Pub. L. 107-295, title III,
Sec. 321, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2103.)
References in Text
Presidential Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988, referred to in
subsec. (b), is set out as a note under section 1331 of Title 43, Public
Lands.
Amendments
2002--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107-295 substituted ``United States,
which includes all waters of the territorial sea of the United States as
described in Presidential Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988'' for
``United States inside the lines established pursuant to section 151 of
this title''.
1996--Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 104-324 inserted ``as measured under
section 14502 of title 46, or an alternate tonnage measured under
section 14302 of that title as prescribed by the Secretary under section
14104 of that title,'' after ``one hundred gross tons''.
1991--Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102-241 amended par. (1) generally,
substituting ``twenty meters or over in length'' for ``three hundred
gross tons and upward''.
Vessel Communication Equipment Regulations
Pub. L. 101-380, title IV, Sec. 4118, Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 523,
provided that: ``The Secretary shall, not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 18, 1990], issue regulations
necessary to ensure that vessels subject to the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge
Radiotelephone Act of 1971 (33 U.S.C. 1203) are also equipped as
necessary to--
``(1) receive radio marine navigation safety warnings; and
``(2) engage in radio communications on designated frequencies
with the Coast Guard, and such other vessels and stations as may be
specified by the Secretary.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 46 section 14305.