Navigation Safety Act of 2019

Navigation Safety Act of 2019

This bill revises certain standards for shipping safety with respect to vessel operations.

Specifically, the bill

• requires certain vessels to be equipped with electronic navigational charts that meet standards acceptable to the U.S. Coast Guard;
• mandates buffers between traffic lanes and traffic separation schemes, and offshore structures affixed to the submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf;
• requires the Coast Guard to implement the recommendations of the Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study workgroup;
• directs the Coast Guard to conduct a review of navigation on the U.S. east coast and submit recommendations for new fairways;
• authorizes the Coast Guard to establish a safety zone to address special activities in the U.S. exclusive economic zone; and
• allows towing vessels to transit beyond the boundary line in certain limited situations to fulfill the vessel's duties without being subject to additional requirements.