G/TBT/N/USA/2000  
24 May 2023  
(23-3534) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
United States Coast Guard (USCG), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) [2032]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding th e notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Marine 
safety equipment; Quality (ICS code(s): 03.120); Protection against fire (ICS code(s): 
13.220); Protective equipment (ICS code(s): 13.3 40); Shipbuilding and marine structures 
in general (ICS code(s): 47.020)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Marine 
Equipment on Board Vessels and Offshore Units or Facilities; (29 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of co ntent:  Notice of proposed rulemaking - The Coast Guard proposes to 
revise regulations associated with the approval, carriage, and maintenance of certain 
safety equipment required on board vessels and offshore units or facilities. We are taking 
this action to align the regulations with the current industry practice and provide more 
transparent regulations for the regulated industry. These proposed revisions would 
eliminate outdated requirements, reduce inspection and testing requirements, and update 
standard s incorporated by reference. Additionally, this project would remove obsolete 
sections and align conflicting sections with the International Convention for the Safety of 
Life at Sea . 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Quality requirements; Harmonization  
8. Relevant documents:   
88 Federal Register (FR) 33026, 23 May 2023; Title 33 CFR Part 149 and 46 CFR Parts 2, 
31, 32, 34, 35, 39, 56, 76, 77, 95, 96, 105, 107, 108, 109, 115, 116, 118, 132, 147, 
159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 167, 169, 181, 195, and 199:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-05-23/html/2023 -08400.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-05-23/pdf/2023 -08400.pdf  G/TBT/N/USA/2000  
 
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  This notice of proposed rulemaking is identified by Docket Number USCG -2020-0519. The 
Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/USCG -2020-0519/document  and provides access to 
primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the  Docket Number. WTO Members and 
their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or 
before 4pm Eastern Time  on 24 July 2023. Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry 
Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will 
also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the comment 
period.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  24 July 2023  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/USA/23_09783_00_e.pdf