46 CFR § 35.20-45 - Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s35.20-45"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 35.20-45 - Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "35.20-45"
section_name: "Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "TANK VESSELS"
part_number: "35"
part_name: "OPERATIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "33 U.S.C. 1321(j); 46 U.S.C. 3306, 3703, 6101, 70011, 70034; 49 U.S.C. 5103, 5106; Executive Order 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; Executive Order 12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4."
regulatory_source: "CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 16704, Dec. 30, 1965, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "35"
---


# 35.20-45 Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL.

When the automatic pilot is used in:

(a) Areas of high traffic density;

(b) Conditions of restricted visibility; and

(c) All other hazardous navigational situations, the master shall ensure that:

(1) It is possible to immediately establish manual control of the ship's steering;

(2) A competent person is ready at all times to take over steering control; and

(3) The changeover from automatic to manual steering and vice versa is made by, or under, the supervision of the officer of the watch.

[CGD 75-074, 42 FR 5963, Jan. 31, 1977, as amended by CGD 91-204, 58 FR 27633, May 10, 1993; USCG-2015-0926, 83 FR 55281, Nov. 5, 2018, 83 FR 56271, Nov. 13, 2018]