§70005 International Agreements

Summary

The Secretary must send any rules made under this part, through the Secretary of State, to international groups so they can be considered as global standards. The President can and is encouraged to make agreements with nearby countries to create matching ship rules and vessel traffic services, and to work with international bodies to set up traffic services on parts of the high seas. Under any such agreement that is legally binding on the United States, the Secretary may require ships in a vessel traffic service area to use the service and carry or install needed equipment. The Secretary may also waive U.S. rules about ship design, construction, operation, equipment, crew qualifications, and manning for ships not going to or from a U.S. port if ships going to or from U.S. ports get similar waivers from the neighboring country. Working with the International Maritime Organization, the Secretary may set up and enforce two mandatory ship reporting systems for vessels entering these Atlantic areas: (1) Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts Bay, and Great South Channel, in the area bounded by a line starting at Cape Ann, Massachusetts at 42°39′ N., 70°37′ W.; then northeast to 42°45′ N., 70°13′ W.; then southeast to 42°10′ N., 68°31′ W.; then south to 41°00′ N., 68°31′ W.; then west to 41°00′ N., 69°17′ W.; then northeast to 42°05′ N., 70°02′ W.; then west to 42°04′ N., 70°10′ W.; and then along the Massachusetts shoreline back to 42°39′ N., 70°37′ W.; and (2) coastal waters of the Southeastern United States within about 25 nm along a 90 nm stretch of the Atlantic seaboard, generally from the shoreline east to longitude 80°51.6′ W., with southern and northern boundaries at latitudes 30°00′ N. and 31°27′ N., respectively.