Barges operating on the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes may be conditionally exempted from load line assignment provided that the following requirements are met:

(a) Registration. Before the barge's first voyage onto Lake Michigan, the owner or operator must register the barge in writing with the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Unit Chicago, 555A Plainfield Road, Willowbrook, IL, 60527. The registration may be faxed to MSU Chicago in advance at (630) 986-2120, with the original following by mail. The registration may be in any form, but must be signed by the owner or operator. No load line exemption certificate will be returned. However, the registration will be kept on file.

(b) The registration must include the following information:

(1) Barge name and official documentation number;

(2) Owner and operator (points-of-contact, company addresses and telephone numbers);

(3) Service route (Milwaukee and/or Burns Harbor);

(4) Design type (covered/uncovered hopper, deck, etc.);

(5) External dimensions;

(6) Types of cargo; and

(7) Place built and original delivery date.

(c) The registration must include a statement certifying that:

(1) The barge has been designed and built to at least the minimum scantlings of the ABS River Rules which were in effect at the time of construction; and

(2) The owner or operator agrees to maintain the barge in serviceable condition and comply with the applicable provisions of 46 CFR part 45, subpart E.

(d) Expiration. Registration is valid only until the earliest of the following events:

(1) The tenth anniversary of the delivery date (for barges on the Milwaukee route),

(2) The barge no longer is fit for this service (due to damage), or

(3) The barge changes ownership or operators (registration is not transferable to new owners or operators; the barge must be re-registered if it is to continue in Lake Michigan service).

(e) Notification. The owner or operator of an exempted barge must notify the OCMI of the transfer of ownership or change of operator, withdrawal from Lake Michigan service (due to damage, age, or other circumstances), or other disposition of the barge.

[USCG-1998-4623, 67 FR 19690, Apr. 23, 2002, as amended by USCG-2006-25556, 72 FR 36330, July 2, 2007; 75 FR 70604, Nov. 18, 2010]