1625-0082 Stat/Authority

33 CFR 164.72 (up to date as of 8/19/2024)
Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications required...

33 CFR 164.72 (Aug. 19, 2024)

This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.

Title 33 —Navigation and Navigable Waters
Chapter I —Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
Subchapter P —Ports and Waterways Safety
Part 164 —Navigation Safety Regulations
Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2103, 3703, 70034; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277. Sec. 164.13 also issued under 46
U.S.C. 8502. Sec. 164.46 also issued under 46 U.S.C. 70114 and Sec. 102 of Pub. L. 107-295. Sec. 164.61 also issued under
46 U.S.C. 6101. DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.

§ 164.72 Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications required on towing
vessels.
(a) Except as provided by § 164.01(b), each towing vessel must be equipped with the following navigationalsafety equipment:
(1) Marine radar. By August 2, 1997, a marine radar that meets the following applicable requirements:
(i)

For a vessel of less than 300 tons gross tonnage that engages in towing on navigable waters of
the U.S., including Western Rivers, the radar must meet—
(A) The requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) specified by 47 CFR
part 80; and
(B) RTCM Standard for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of Less Than 300 Tons
Gross Tonnage, RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-STD, Version 1.1, display Category II and
stabilization Category Bravo.

(ii) For a vessel of less than 300 tons gross tonnage that engages in towing seaward of navigable
waters of the U.S. or more than three nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, the radar
must meet—
(A) The requirements of the FCC specified by 47 CFR part 80; and
(B) RTCM Standard for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of Less Than 300 Tons
Gross Tonnage, RTCM Paper 71-95/SC112-STD, Version 1.1, display Category I and
stabilization Category Alpha.
(iii) For a vessel of 300 tons gross tonnage or more that engages in towing on navigable waters of
the U.S., including Western rivers, the radar must meet—
(A) The requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) specified by 47 CFR
part 80; and
(B) RTCM Recommended Standards for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of 300
Tons Gross Tonnage and Upwards, RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112-X, Version 1.2 except the
requirements for azimuth stabilization in paragraph 3.10.
(iv) For a vessel of 300 tons gross tonnage or more that engages in towing seaward of navigable
waters of the U.S. or more than three nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, the radar
must meet—
(A) The requirements of the FCC specified by 47 CFR Part 80; and
33 CFR 164.72(a)(1)(iv)(A) (enhanced display)

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33 CFR 164.72 (up to date as of 8/19/2024)
Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications required...

33 CFR 164.72(a)(1)(iv)(B)

(B) RTCM Recommended Standards for Marine Radar Equipment Installed on Ships of 300
Tons Gross Tonnage and Upwards, RTCM Paper 191-93/SC112-X, Version 1.2.
(v) A towing vessel with an existing radar must meet the applicable requirements of paragraphs
(a)(1) (i) through (iv) of this section by August 2, 1998; except that a towing vessel with an
existing radar must meet the display and stabilization requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(B) of
this section by August 2, 2001.
(2) Searchlight. A searchlight, directable from the vessel's main steering station and capable of
illuminating objects at a distance of at least two times the length of the tow.
(3) VHF-FM radio. An installation or multiple installations of VHF-FM radios as prescribed by part 26 of
this chapter and 47 CFR part 80, to maintain a continuous listening watch on the designated calling
channel, VHF-FM Channel 13 (except on portions of the Lower Mississippi River, where VHF-FM
Channel 67 is the designated calling channel), and to separately monitor the International Distress
and Calling Channel, VHF-FM Channel 16, except when transmitting or receiving traffic on other VHFFM channels or when participating in a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) or monitoring a channel of a
VTS. (Each U.S. towing vessel of 26 feet (about 8 meters) or more in length, except a public vessel,
must hold a ship-radio-station license for radio transmitters (including radar and EPIRBs), and each
operator must hold a restricted operator's license or higher. To get an application for either license,
call (800) 418-FORM or (202) 418-FORM, or write to the FCC; Wireless Bureau, Licensing Division;
1270 Fairfield Road; Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.)
(4) Magnetic compass. Either—
(i)

An illuminated swing-meter or an illuminated card-type magnetic steering compass readable
from the vessel's main steering station, if the vessel engages in towing exclusively on Western
Rivers; or

(ii) An illuminated card-type magnetic steering compass readable from the vessel's main steering
station.
(5) Echo depth-sounding device. By August 2, 2001, an echo depth-sounding device readable from the
vessel's main steering station, unless the vessel engages in towing exclusively on Western Rivers.
(6) Electronic position-fixing device. An electronic position-fixing device, a satellite navigational system
such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) as required by § 164.41, if the vessel engages in towing
seaward of navigable waters of the U.S. or more than three nautical miles from shore on the Great
Lakes.
(b) Each towing vessel must carry on board and maintain the following:
(1) Charts or maps. Marine charts or maps of the areas to be transited, published by the National Ocean
Service (NOS), the ACOE, or a river authority that satisfy the following requirements:
(i)

The charts or maps must be of a large enough scale and have enough detail to make safe
navigation of the areas possible.

(ii) The charts or maps must be either—
(A) Current editions or currently corrected editions, if the vessel engages in towing exclusively
on navigable waters of the U.S., including Western Rivers; or

33 CFR 164.72(b)(1)(ii)(A) (enhanced display)

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33 CFR 164.72 (up to date as of 8/19/2024)
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33 CFR 164.72(b)(1)(ii)(B)

(B) Currently corrected editions, if the vessel engages in towing seaward of navigable waters
of the U.S. or more than three nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes.
(iii) The charts or maps may be, instead of charts or maps required by paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii)
of this section, currently corrected marine charts or maps, or applicable extracts, published by a
foreign government. These charts or maps, or applicable extracts, must contain information
similar to that on the charts or maps required by paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section, be
of large enough scale, and have enough detail to make safe navigation of the areas possible,
and must be currently corrected.
(2) General publications. A currently corrected edition of, or an applicable currently corrected extract
from, each of the following publications for the area to be transited:
(i)

If the vessel is engaged in towing exclusively on Western Rivers—
(A) U.S. Coast Guard Light List;
(B) Applicable Notices to Navigation published by the ACOE, or Local Notices to Mariners
(LNMs) published by the Coast Guard, for the area to be transited, when available; and
(C) River-current tables published by a river authority, if available.

(ii) If the vessel is engaged other than in towing exclusively on Western Rivers—
(A) Coast Guard Light List;
(B) Notices to Mariners published by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or LNMs
published by the Coast Guard;
(C) Tidal-current tables published by private entities using data provided by the NOS, or rivercurrent tables published by a river authority;
(D) Tide tables published by private entities using data provided by the NOS; and
(E) U.S. Coast Pilot.

33 CFR 164.72(b)(2)(ii)(E) (enhanced display)

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33 CFR 164.72 (up to date as of 8/19/2024)
Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications required...

33 CFR 164.72(c)

(c) Table 164.72, following, summarizes the navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications
required for towing vessels of 12 meters or more in length engaged in towing:

TABLE 164.72—EQUIPMENT, CHARTS OR MAPS, AND PUBLICATIONS FOR TOWING
VESSELS OF 12 METERS OR MORE IN LENGTH

Western rivers

U.S. navigable waters other
than western rivers

Waters seaward of
navigable waters and 3
NM or more from shore
on the Great Lakes

Marine
Radar:
Towing
Vessels of
Less Than
300 GT

RTCM Paper 71-95/
SC112-STD Version 1.1,
Display Category II1
Stabilization Category
BRAVO

RTCM Paper 71-95/
SC112-STD Version 1.1,
Display Category II1
Stabilization Category
BRAVO

RTCM Paper 71-95/
SC112-STD Version 1.1,
Display Category I2
Stabilization Category
ALPHA.

Towing
Vessels of
300 GT or
More

RTCM Paper 191-93/
SC112-X Version 1.2
(except the Azmuth
stabilization requirement in
paragraph 3.10).1

RTCM Paper 191-93/
SC112-X Version 1.2
(except the Azmuth
stabilization requirement in
paragraph 3.10).1

RTCM Paper 191-93/
SC112-X Version 1.2.1

Searchlight

X

X

X

VHF-FM Radio

X

X

X

Magnetic
Compass

X3

X

X

Swing-Meter

X3
X

X

Echo DepthSounding
Device
Electronic
PositionFixing
Device
Charts or
Maps

X

(1) Large enough scale

(1) Large enough scale

(1) Large enough scale.

(2) Current edition or

(2) Current edition or

(2) Currently corrected

Notes:
1

Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998.

2

Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998 but do not need to
meet the display and stabilization requirements until August 2, 2001.
3

A towing vessel may carry either a swing-meter or a magnetic compass.

33 CFR 164.72(c) (enhanced display)

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33 CFR 164.72 (up to date as of 8/19/2024)
Navigational-safety equipment, charts or maps, and publications required...

33 CFR 164.72(c)

U.S. navigable waters other
than western rivers

Waters seaward of
navigable waters and 3
NM or more from shore
on the Great Lakes

currently corrected edition

currently corrected edition

edition.

General
(1) U.S. Coast Guard Light
Publications List

(1) U.S. Coast Guard Light
List

(1) U.S. Coast Guard
Light List.

(2) Notices to Navigation or
Local Notices to Mariners

(2) Local Notices to
Mariners

(2) Local Notices to
Mariners.

(3) River-current Tables

(3) Tidal-current Tables

(3) Tidal-current Tables.

(4) Tide Tables

(4) Tide Tables.

(5) U.S. Coast Pilot

(5) U.S. Coast Pilot.

Western rivers

Notes:
1

Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998.

2

Towing vessels with existing radar must meet this requirement by August 2, 1998 but do not need to
meet the display and stabilization requirements until August 2, 2001.
3

A towing vessel may carry either a swing-meter or a magnetic compass.

[CGD 94-020, 61 FR 35073, July 3, 1996, as amended by CGD 97-034, 62 FR 40272, July 28, 1997; USCG-1999-5832, 64 FR 34715,
June 29, 1999; USCG-2001-9286, 66 FR 33641, June 25, 2001; USCG-2010-0351, 75 FR 36287, June 25, 2010; USCG-2011-0257,
76 FR 31838, June 2, 2011; USCG-2015-0433, 80 FR 44282, July 27, 2015; USCG-2016-0498, 82 FR 35088, July 28, 2017;
USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30881, June 28, 2019]

33 CFR 164.72(c) (enhanced display)

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