§3105 Electronic Charts

Summary

Vessels that use electronic navigation charts made by a government hydrographic office or that meet a standard approved by the Secretary are treated as having the required charts on board when operating on U.S. navigable waters. This applies to four groups: commercial self-propelled vessels 65 feet or longer; vessels carrying more than a number of passengers for hire set by the Secretary; towing vessels over 26 feet and 600 horsepower; and any other vessel the Secretary decides needs electronic charts for safe navigation. The Secretary can exempt a vessel or waive the rule for certain waters if charts aren’t needed for safe navigation. The Secretary may also allow vessels that operate only inside the baseline of the U.S. territorial sea to use software-based, platform-independent chart systems that show the needed scale and detail. Unless an international treaty says otherwise, the rule does not apply to foreign ships that are not going to or leaving a U.S. port and that are merely in innocent passage through the U.S. territorial sea or transiting an international strait.