[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 106 (Friday, June 2, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28775-28776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13490]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 80
[CI Docket No. 95-55, FCC 95-171 ]
Inspection of Radio Installations on Large Cargo and Small
Passenger Ships
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice of Inquiry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Commission has adopted a Notice of Inquiry (Notice) which
begins a proceeding to review the Commission's current Rules regarding
the inspection of ships for compliance with the Communications Act of
1934 (Communications Act) and the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (Safety Convention).
DATES: Comments must be filed on or before July 18, 1995, and reply
comments must be filed on or before August 17, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George R. Dillon of the Compliance and Information Bureau at (202) 418-
1100.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice
of Inquiry, CI Docket No. 95-55, FCC 95-171, adopted April 24, 1995,
and released, May 16, 1995, The full text of this Notice of Inquiry is
available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in
the FCC Reference Center (Room 239) 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC.
The complete text may be purchased from the Commission's copy
contractor, International Transcription Services, 2100 M Street NW,
Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 857-3800.
Summary of Notice of Inquiry
1. The Commission is recommending amendments to the Communications
Act that allows early implementation of the Global Maritime and
Distress System (GMDSS) and that will permit changes to the way we
inspect large cargo vessels and small passenger vessels. This notice
begins a proceeding to review the Commission's current Rules regarding
the inspection of ships for compliance with the Communications Act of
1934 (Communications Act) and the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (Safety Convention). We seek information
that will allow us to streamline ship inspection procedures for the
maritime services, to remove unnecessary rules, to improve service to
the maritime community, and, above all else, to preserve maritime
safety.
2. This Notice is the initial step to develop and implement an
overall strategy to improve the manner in which we conduct inspections
without derogating the safety of life at sea.
3. Commission inspectors currently conduct a thorough inspection of
all of a ship's required radio equipment, from simple VHF maritime
transmitters to complex satellite transmitting and receiving equipment.
Inspectors are primarily responsive for ensuring that the radio
transmitting and receiving equipment provides safety communications
capability at the time of inspection. It is the ship operator's
responsibility to ensure that the vessel is capable of providing safety
communications at all other times. The Commission recognizes the
importance of ensuring safety of life and property at sea. In 1990, we
incorporated the GMDSS amendments to the Safety Convention in Part 80
of our Rules, 47 CFR Part 80, to implement and internationally approved
safety system. We have worked in conjunction with the United States
Coast Guard on a recommendation to Congress that the United States
amend the Communications Act to incorporate the GMDSS to replace the
outdated manual Morse Call radiotelegraph requirements.
4. We are conducting an inquiry into whether the policies and
procedures that the Commission uses to inspect and verify that a radio
installation on a U.S. vessel is properly installed and functions as
intended during a distress can be simplified and streamlined. For
example, an inspection of a large cargo vessel can take up to 6 hours,
not including travel time, and is often highly complex. Commission
inspectors note anecdotally, however, that the ship's captain often
reports that the only time that one component, the medium frequency
radiotelegraph installation, is used is during the annual FCC
inspection.
5. Although the inspections the Commission currently conducts for
large cargo vessels are complex, the inspections required in the GMDSS
may not be quite as complicated because much of the equipment will
incorporate self-test features. Further, many of the inspections the
Commission conducts for small passenger vessels are relatively simple
and generally take no more than an hour to complete. All of the
[[Page 28776]] inspections are conducted to ensure that ships have a
reliable means of distress communications in an emergency.
6. We believe in the principle that government should be responsive
to user needs and began this proceeding to promote flexibility, to
improve our inspection process by removing unnecessary and inimical
policies and, most importantly, provide better service to the public.
In summary, we believe that it is both necessary and timely to commence
a thorough review of the policies, rules and procedures that the
Commission uses to regulate the inspection of compulsorily equipped
ships. The primary purpose of this Notice is to compile a complete
record that will (1) allow us to improve current inspections processes,
(2) develop a technically sufficient regulatory environment for the
inspection of ships subject to the GMDSS, and (3) provide an overall
strategy on how to best utilize private sector entities to inspect
compulsory ship stations.
7. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 80
Communications equipment, Radio, Reporting and recordkeepinkg
requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-13490 Filed 6-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-M
