PRIA Logo™
119-hr-6410119th CongressWALLET

Atlantic Coast Shipping Safety Act

Sponsored By: Representative Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would require the Coast Guard to formalize Atlantic Coast shipping safety fairways into regulation, creating nearshore and offshore corridors and complementary port approaches that match the agency's January 19, 2024 proposed rule.

Show full summary
  • Mariners and shippers: Would create clearer, official navigation corridors and port approaches along the Atlantic Coast to give more predictable routing for commercial and recreational vessels.
  • Ports and coastal communities: Would establish designated nearshore and offshore fairways plus complementary port approaches to guide vessel traffic near ports and approaches.
  • Coast Guard and rulemaking: Directs the Secretary to issue a regulation within one year that applies to the geographic area covered by the proposed rule. The regulation would set minimum widths for designated fairways, with exceptions for connector, cut-across, and cutoff fairways, Traffic Separation Schemes, and precautionary areas, and would take effect on December 31, 2026.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New Atlantic Coast shipping fairways

This bill would require the Secretary in the department that runs the Coast Guard to issue a regulation within one year of enactment. The rule would designate nearshore and offshore shipping safety fairways and port approaches along the Atlantic Coast. It would set a minimum fairway width at least as wide as the Coast Guard's January 19, 2024 proposed rule (89 Fed. Reg. 3587), but that minimum would not apply to connector, cut-across, or cutoff fairways, Traffic Separation Schemes, or precautionary areas. The regulation would apply to the same geographic area as that proposed rule and would take effect on December 31, 2026. Vessel operators, shipping companies, port authorities, mariners, and coastal stakeholders would need to follow the designated fairways.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]

NC • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 12/3/2025

  • Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 12/3/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation