33 CFR § 164.39 - Steering gear: Foreign tankers.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t33/s164.39"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "33 CFR § 164.39 - Steering gear: Foreign tankers."
title_number: 33
title_name: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
section_number: "164.39"
section_name: "Steering gear: Foreign tankers."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "P"
subchapter_name: "PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY"
part_number: "164"
part_name: "NAVIGATION SAFETY REGULATIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 2103, 3703, 70034; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277. Sec. 164.13 also issued under 46 U.S.C. 8502. Sec. 164.46 also issued under 46 U.S.C. 70114 and Sec. 102 of Pub. L. 107-295. Sec. 164.61 also issued under 46 U.S.C. 6101. DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4."
cfr_part: "164"
---


# 164.39 Steering gear: Foreign tankers.

(a) This section applies to each foreign tanker of 10,000 gross tons or more, except a public vessel, that—

(1) Transfers oil at a port or place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; or

(2) Otherwise enters or operates in the navigable waters of the United States, except a vessel described by § 164.02 of this part.

(b) *Definitions.* The terms used in this section are as follows:

*Constructed* means the same as in Chapter II-1, Regulations 1.1.2 and 1.1.3.1, of SOLAS 74.

*Existing tanker* means a tanker—

(1) For which the building contract is placed on or after June 1, 1979;

(2) In the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction on or after January 1, 1980;

(3) The delivery of which occurs on or after June 1, 1982; or

(4) That has undergone a major conversion contracted for on or after June 1, 1979; or construction of which was begun on or after January 1, 1980, or completed on or after June 1, 1982.

*Public vessel, oil, hazardous materials,* and *foreign vessel* mean the same as in 46 U.S.C. 2101.

*SOLAS 74* means the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

*Tanker* means a self-propelled vessel defined as a tanker or a tank vessel by 46 U.S.C. 2101.

(c) Each tanker constructed on or after September 1, 1984, must meet the applicable requirements of Chapter II-1, Regulations 29 and 30, of SOLAS 74.

(d) Each tanker constructed before September 1, 1984, must meet the requirements of Chapter II-1, Regulation 29.19, of SOLAS 74.

(e) Each tanker of 40,000 gross tons or more, constructed before September 1, 1984, that does not meet the single-failure criterion of Chapter II-1, Regulation 29.16, of SOLAS 74, must meet the requirements of Chapter II-1, Regulation 29.20, of SOLAS 74.

(f) Each tanker constructed before September 1, 1984, must meet the applicable requirements of Chapter II-1, Regulations 29.14 and 29.15, of SOLAS 74.

[CGD 83-043, 60 FR 24771, May 10, 1995, as amended by USCG-2024-1103, 90 FR 52878, Nov. 24, 2025]