[Federal Register: August 7, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page 41305-41306]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07au01-160]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-10295]
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 SAFARI ESCAPE.
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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 September 6, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-10295.
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
[[Page 41306]]
Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-2307.
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 Sec. 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: SAFARI ESCAPE. Owner: Safari Escape Charters, LLC.
(2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the
applicant: ``Registered length: 89.2'; Registered beam: 20.5';
Registered depth: 11.2'; Gross ITC tonnage: 151; Net ITC tonnage: 45.''
(3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``The M/V
Safari Escape caters to a specific demographic profile in the overall
cruise market. It is providing a luxury yacht option with regularly
scheduled departures via stateroom or charter.'' ``The geographic area
of operation will be the Alaska Inside Passage, Southeast Alaska, the
pacific Northwest area including Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands
of Washington State.''
(4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding.
Date of construction: 1983. Place of construction: Brisbane, Australia
(5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant:
``The M/V Safari Escape operates within a niche market. In fact, it
occupies a position in the luxury yacht ``sub-niche'' within the small
ship arena * * *. There are seven other small ship companies operating
in Alaska's Inside Passage, with a combined total of 20 vessels * * *.
A few 12-passenger overnight boats serve Alaska's Inside Passage,
but this market could easily sustain more vessels of this type and
size. The charter market is dramatically under-served.
Boats that are known to operate in this geographic region in this
size category (in addition to The Boat Co.12-passenger ``Observer'' * *
*) are the Alaska Song, Catalyst, Heron and the Midnight Sun. * * * The
M/V Safari Escape would have little or no impact on the other small
vessels in this market since they are selling to different groups of
clientele or are so few in number.
The Pacific Northwest/British Columbia region with pertinent
cruises originating and terminating in Seattle receives sporadic cruise
ship activity. Spring and fall positioning cruises en route to and from
Alaska are the staple of most operators. The only consistent operator
of round trip Seattle cruises into Pacific Northwest is Cruise West
with one boat carrying about 80 passengers. The luxury overnight yacht,
M/V Safari Escape, would not pose an economic threat to this or other
small charter boat operators as it would be the only luxury yacht home
ported in Seattle, marketing regularly-scheduled stateroom and charter
departures.
The overall cruise market is growing each year at a pace of about
9% and * * *. The M/V SARARI ESCAPE provides some minor relief to this
market demand. Granting coastwise privileges as this overnight cruise
market continues to surge would not economically disadvantage other
boats.''
6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S.
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``U.S. Shipyards would not be
losing business if coastwise privileges were to be assigned to the M/V
Safari Escape. On the contrary, this boat's entry into full coastwise
operations in the near future would stimulate market awareness for this
specific utilization * * *. The momentum created by the M/V Safari
Escape's coastwise operations can generate more contracts with U.S.
boat builders to meet future demand.
The M/V Safari Escape is presently undergoing a 1.0 million dollar
rebuild in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This work is being done in
anticipation of being granted a coastwise wavier. In summary, U.S.
shipyards would stand to gain additional economic benefit, rather then
losing any opportunity to build a new vessel(s), if coastwise
privileges are approved for the M/V Safari Escape.''
Dated: August 1, 2001.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-19667 Filed 8-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P