I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5136

Entitled the ‘‘Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act

of 1994’’.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 29, 1994

Mr. TAUZIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

A BILL

Entitled the ‘‘Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and

Development Act of 1994’’.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Offshore Supply Vessel

5 Construction and Development Act of 1994’’.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSEL.

7 Section 2101(19) of title 46, United States Code, is

8 amended to read as follows:

9 ‘‘(19) ‘offshore supply vessel’ means a motor

10 vessel that regularly transports goods, supplies, indi-
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1 viduals in addition to the crew, or equipment in sup2 port of exploration, exploitation, or production of

3 offshore mineral or energy resources that—

4 ‘‘(A) is more than 15 regulatory gross tons

5 but less than 500 regulatory gross tons; or

6 ‘‘(B) is more than 15 international gross

7 tons, and not more than a maximum number of

8 international gross tons prescribed by regula9 tion of the Secretary.’’.

10 SEC. 3. APPLICATION TO VESSELS.

11 (a) Section 3702(b) of title 46, United States Code,

12 is amended to read as follows:

13 ‘‘(b)(1) The following vessels are deemed not to be

14 a tank vessel for purposes of this chapter or any other

15 law:

16 ‘‘(A) An offshore supply vessel.

17 ‘‘(B) A fishing or fish tender vessel of not more

18 than 750 regulatory gross tons, when engaged in the

19 fishing industry.

20 ‘‘(2) This subsection does not affect the authority of

21 the Secretary under chapter 33 of this title to regulate

22 the operation of vessels listed in paragraph (1) of this sub23 section to ensure the safe carriage of oil and hazardous

24 substances.’’.
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1 (b) Section 3306(a) of title 46, United States Code,

2 is amended after ‘‘safety’’ by inserting ‘‘of the marine en3 vironment and’’.

4 (c) Section 5209 of Public Law 102–587 is repealed.

5 (d) Section 321 of Public Law 103–206 is repealed.

6 SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS FOR

7 MANNING AND LICENSING.

8 (a) Section 7310 of title 46, United States Code, is

9 amended to read as follows: ‘‘For service on an offshore

10 supply vessel, an individual may be rated as able sea11 man—offshore supply vessels if the individual has the fol12 lowing service on deck on board vessels operating on the

13 oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (in14 cluding the Great Lakes):

15 ‘‘(1) At least 6 months service on an offshore

16 supply vessel of less than 500 regulatory gross tons,

17 or 1600 international gross tons.

18 ‘‘(2) An amount of service prescribed by the

19 Secretary on an offshore supply vessel of at least

20 1600 international gross tons.’’.

21 (b) Section 7312(d) of title 46, United States Code,

22 is amended by striking ‘‘a vessel of less than 500 gross

23 tons’’ through ‘‘energy resources’’ and inserting ‘‘an off24 shore supply vessel’’.
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1 (c) Section 8104(g) of title 46, United States Code,

2 is amended—

3 (1) after ‘‘offshore supply vessel’’ by inserting

4 ‘‘of not more than 500 regulatory gross tons or

5 1600 international gross tons,’’ and

6 (2) by adding at the end of the subsection:

7 ‘‘The Secretary may prescribe requirements for the

8 minimum number of watches on an offshore supply

9 vessel of more than 1600 international gross tons.’’.

10 (d) Section 8301(b) of title 46, United States Code,

11 is amended—

12 (1) after ‘‘offshore supply vessel’’ by inserting

13 ‘‘of not more than 500 regulatory gross tons or

14 1600 international gross tons,’’;

15 (2) after ‘‘200’’ by inserting ‘‘regulatory’’; and

16 (3) by adding at the end of the subsection,

17 ‘‘The Secretary may prescribe requirements for the

18 minimum number of licensed individuals on an off19 shore supply vessel of more than 1600 international

20 gross tons.’’.

21 SEC. 5. CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT.

22 Section 8103(b)(3)(A) of title 46, United States

23 Code, is amended to read as follows:

24 ‘‘(A) an offshore supply vessel, or a similarly

25 engaged vessel of less than 1600 regulatory gross
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1 tons or to a maximum international tonnage pre2 scribed by regulation of the Secretary;’’.

3 SEC. 6. RESPONSE PLANNING REQUIREMENT.

4 (a) Chapter 31 of title 46, United States Code, is

5 amended by adding the following section:

6 ‘‘§ 3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply

7 vessels

8 ‘‘(a) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for ves9 sel pollution response plans for domestic operations of an

10 offshore supply vessel if—

11 ‘‘(1) the vessel is over 400 international gross

12 tons; and

13 ‘‘(2) the keel of the vessel is laid after July 18,

14 1994 or the vessel undergoes a change substantially

15 affecting its tonnage after that date.

16 ‘‘(b) In prescribing regulations under this section, the

17 Secretary shall consider the unique characteristics, meth18 ods of operation, and nature of the service of the vessels.’’.

19 (b) The table of sections for chapter 31 of title 46,

20 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the

21 following:

‘‘3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply vessels.’’.

22 SEC. 7. TONNAGE MEASUREMENT DEFINITIONS.

23 Section 14101 of title 46, United States Code, is

24 amended—
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1 (1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘In this part’’;

2 and

3 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub4 section:

5 ‘‘(b) When used in a law, regulation, document, rul6 ing, or other official act referring to the tonnage measure7 ment of a vessel—

8 ‘‘(1) ‘international gross tons’ means gross tons

9 as measured under chapter 143 of this title; and

10 ‘‘(2) ‘regulatory gross tons’ means gross tons as

11 measured under chapter 145 of this title.’’.

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