I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 805
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules which require vessels
operating in harbors in the United States to use state-of-the-art maritime
vessel traffic control equipment, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 3, 1993
Mr. TORRICELLI (for himself and Mr. ROHRABACHER) introduced the follow-
ing bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Merchant Ma-
rine and Fisheries and Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules
which require vessels operating in harbors in the United
States to use state-of-the-art maritime vessel traffic con-
trol equipment, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maritime Navigation
Technology and Research Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
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(1) The United States should have as a goal the
establishment of a vessel traffic control system that
is as effective as the United States air traffic control
system.
(2) The technology exists to display, in real
time electronic charts on board a vessel, the position
of any vessel in the immediate area, based on global
positioning system satellites.
(3) The global positioning system has an accu-
racy of less than 100 meters and 3 to 10 meters in
a differential mode which could be used to signifi-
cantly improve the accuracy and reliability of vessel
navigation in both harbors and in open water.
(4) Laser navigation technology could be used
to enhance harbor safety by improving the accuracy
of early warnings to vessels of the clearances needed
when approaching various fixed structures.
(5) Existing vessel traffic control systems are
often little more than informational services.
(6) Improved vessel traffic control and collision
avoidance systems are needed in United States har-
bors to improve the safety of vessel traffic and pro-
tect the marine environment.
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(7) Technology for real time tidal and current
measurements, if combined with vessel traffic control
systems, could improve navigation safety.
SEC. 3. RULES REQUIRING STATE-OF-THE-ART VESSEL
TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT.
(a) ISSUANCE OF RULES.—Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Transportation shall issue rules which require vessels
which operate in harbors in the United States to have
operational state-of-the-art navigation, communication,
and collision avoidance equipment that is compatible with
Coast Guard vessel traffic systems.
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN VESSELS.—Rules
issued under this section shall require the use, by any ves-
sel of a class to be determined by the Secretary and speci-
fied in the rules, of vessel traffic control and collision
avoidance equipment that meets performance standards
established in the rules for—
(1) determining vessel position with an accuracy
that is at least 5 to 10 meters;
(2) an onboard visual display, to be updated in
real time, showing the location, speed, track, and
projected course of both the parent vessel and other
vessels within a radius of 40 kilometers; and
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(3) an onboard collision avoidance alarm system
capable of—
(A) computing the potential for collision
and alerting the pilot of impending collision;
and
(B) displaying the best alternatives for
evasive action.
(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER VESSELS.—Rules is-
sued under this section shall require the use, by a vessel
that is not included in the class specified pursuant to sub-
section (b), of a transponder capable of transmitting data
regarding—
(1) the position, speed, and direction of the ves-
sel; and
(2) other pertinent information.
(d) UPGRADE
OF COAST GUARD SYSTEMS.—The
Secretary of Transportation shall upgrade all vessel traffic
control systems as necessary to make them compatible
with technologies required under rules issued under this
section.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Trans-
portation shall conduct or provide for the conduct of
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research and development of technologies for vessel
navigation.
(2) REQUIRED
RESEARCH.—Research under
this subsection shall include—
(A) programs in the maritime applications
of the advanced global positioning satellite sys-
tems and equivalent or better technology, elec-
tronic charting and information display, com-
puterized vessel tracking, vessel transponders,
collision avoidance, and computerized alarm
systems; and
(B) a program to better understand the re-
lationship between human factors and vessel ac-
cidents and between human factors and mari-
time safety, to develop a human factors analysis
of the hazards associated with new technologies
to be used in maritime traffic control.
(b) RESEARCH PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Transportation shall submit to the Congress and
begin implementing a national research plan for re-
search in vessel navigation technology.
(2) CONTENTS.—The national research plan
shall describe research and development which will