33 U.S.C. § 1605 — Navy and Coast Guard vessels of special

Page 654 TITLE 33—NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS § 1604 § 1604. Vessels not subject to International Regu- lations (a) The International Regulations do not apply to vessels while in the waters of the United States shoreward of the navigational demarca- tion lines dividing the high seas from harbors, rivers, and other inland waters of the United States. (b) Whenever a vessel subject to the jurisdic- tion of the United States is in the territorial wa- ters of a foreign state the International Regula- tions shall be applicable to, and shall be com- plied with by, that vessel to the extent that the laws and regulations of the foreign state are not in conflict therewith. (Pub. L. 95–75, § 5, July 27, 1977, 91 Stat. 309; Pub. L. 96–591, § 6(1), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3434.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–591 substituted provision providing that the International Regulations do not apply to vessels while in the waters of the United States shoreward of the navigational demarcation lines dividing the high seas from harbors, rivers, and other inland waters of the United States for provisions that had made specific reference to harbors, rivers, and other inland waters of the United States, as defined in section 154 of this title, to the Great Lakes of North America and their connecting and tributary waters, as defined in section 241 of this title, and to the Red River of the North and rivers emptying into the Gulf of Mex- ico and their tributaries, as defined in section 301 of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 96–591, § 7, Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3435, provided that: ‘‘Sections 2, 4, 6(1), and 8(a) [enacting section 2072 and former sections 2001 to 2038 of this title, amending this section, and repealing sections 154 to 159, 171 to 183, 191, 192, 201 to 213, 221, 222, 231, 232, 301 to 303, 311 to 323, 331, 341 to 356, 360, and 360a of this title and sections 526b, 526c, and 526d of former Title 46, Shipping] are ef- fective 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 24, 1980], except that on the Great Lakes, the effective date of sections 2 and 4 [enacting section 2072 and former sections 2001 to 2038 of this title] will be es- tablished by the Secretary. [The effective date on the Great Lakes was established as Mar. 1, 1983. See 47 F.R. 15135, Apr. 8, 1982.] Section 5 [enacting section 2073 of this title] is effective on October 1, 1981.’’ § 1605. Navy and Coast Guard vessels of special construction or purpose (a) Certification for alternative compliance Any requirement of the International Regula- tions with respect to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights, with respect to shapes, or with respect to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signaling appliances, shall not be applicable to a vessel of special con- struction or purpose, whenever the Secretary of the Navy, for any vessel of the Navy, or the Sec- retary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, for any other vessel of the United States, shall certify that the vessel can- not comply fully with that requirement without interfering with the special function of the ves- sel. (b) Closest possible compliance by vessels cov- ered by certification for alternative compli- ance Whenever a certification is issued under the authority of subsection (a) of this section, the vessel involved shall comply with the require- ment as to which the certification is made to the extent that the Secretary issuing the certifi- cation shall certify as the closest possible com- pliance by that vessel. (c) Publication of certifications in Federal Reg- ister Notice of the certifications issued pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be published in the Federal Register. (d) Issuance of certification for a class of vessels A certification authorized by this section may be issued for a class of vessels. (Pub. L. 95–75, § 6, July 27, 1977, 91 Stat. 309; Pub. L. 96–591, § 6(2), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3434.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1980—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96–591 added subsec. (d). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. § 1606. Special rules for ships of war, vessels pro- ceeding under convoy, and fishing vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet (a) The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to promulgate special rules with respect to addi- tional station or signal lights or whistle signals for ships of war or vessels proceeding under con- voy, and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating is authorized to promulgate special rules with respect to addi- tional station or signal lights for fishing vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet. (b) The additional station or signal lights or whistle signals contained in the special rules au- thorized under subsection (a) of this section shall be, as far as possible, such that they can- not be mistaken for any light or signal author- ized by the International Regulations. Notice of such special rules shall be published in the Fed- eral Register and, after the effective date speci- fied in such notice, they shall have effect as if they were a part of the International Regula- tions. (Pub. L. 95–75, § 7, July 27, 1977, 91 Stat. 310.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities