01-25267. Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws

AGENCY:

Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Invitation for public comments on a requested administrative waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel WANDERLUST.

SUMMARY:

As authorized by Pub. L. 105-383, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a description of the proposed service, is listed below. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines that in accordance with Pub. L. 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (65 FR 6905; February 11, 2000) that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels, a waiver will not be granted.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before November 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-10765. Written comments may be submitted by hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 7th St., SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You may also send comments electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/​submit/​. All comments will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection and copying at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An electronic version of this document and all documents entered into this docket is available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kathleen Dunn, U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title V of Pub. L. 105-383 provides authority to the Secretary of Transportation to administratively waive the U.S.-build requirements of the Jones Act, and other statutes, for small commercial passenger vessels (no more than 12 passengers). This authority has been delegated to the Maritime Administration per 49 CFR § 1.66, Delegations to the Maritime Administrator, as amended. By this notice, MARAD is publishing information on a vessel for which a request for a U.S.-build waiver has been received, and for which MARAD requests comments from interested parties. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in § 388.4 of MARAD'S regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

Vessel Proposed for Waiver of the U.S.-build Requirement

(1) Name of vessel and owner for which waiver is requested.

Name of vessel: WANDERLUST. Owner: Karen and Matt Seekatz.

(2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the applicant: “LOA-41ft; Beam-13.7; Gross Tons-20; Net Tons-16.”

(3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of intended operation and trade. According to the applicant:

We intend to provide cruising charters for no more than 12 passengers. Our geographic region of intended operation and trade will be our home port of Valdez, Alaska and Prince William Sound. Our primary focus will be cruising, whale watching, kayak tours, and hunting party transports and/or overnight accommodations.”

(4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. Date of construction: 1979. Place of construction: Taiwan by ROCS Marine, Koehsiung.

(5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: “This will have virtually no impact on other vessels operating in and around Valdez as they are commercial fishing vessels and sport fishing charters. By the very nature of “WanderLust's” construction, we couldn't possibly jeopardize either of these industries. The distance to good fishing grounds prevents us from entering into competition with the local sport fishing charters. It is 90 miles to the Gulf of Alaska. It takes them 3 hours to get there and it takes us over 8. We would not draw the same level of interest as their clientele for the purpose of sport fishing.”

(6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. shipyards. According to the applicant: “This will have absolutely no negative impact on U.S. shipyards. Once granted coastwise privileges, U.S. shipyards will benefit from repair work.

Additionally, to build a 41 foot vessel for the purposes we request would be too expensive in relation to return on investment. Only an existing, older and less expensive vessel can be justified in this type of endeavor.”

Dated: October 3, 2001.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Joel C. Richard,

Secretary, Maritime Administration.