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DHS/USCG RIN: 1625-AC95 Publication ID: Spring 2025 
Title: Sabine Pass Safety Fairway Anchorages 
Abstract:

The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish two new voluntary use fairway anchorages off the Texas and Louisiana coastline. Establishing the new Sabine Pass fairway anchorages would provide charted locations to masters of vessels with drafts too great to utilize existing fairway anchorages. The new anchorages would reduce the potential for collisions, allisions, and groundings for vessels arriving, holding, or anchoring in the designated areas. There are four existing fairway anchorages in the approaches to Sabine Pass. However, vessels with deeper drafts, such as some petroleum tankers, are unable to utilize them. Local pilots requested that the Coast Guard establish additional fairway anchorages for vessels with drafts exceeding 40-feet to allow for the safe movement of vessels from the anchorages to the intended pilot boarding areas.  The proposed fairway anchorages would improve the flow of commerce for all arriving and departing vessels, including those awaiting port entry.

 
Agency: Department of Homeland Security(DHS)  Priority: Other Significant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
EO 14192 Designation: Other 
CFR Citation: 33 CFR part 166     (To search for a specific CFR, visit the Code of Federal Regulations.)
Legal Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70001    46 U.S.C. 70003   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  01/00/2026 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Scott Whalen
Marine Transportation Specialist
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
Office of Navigation Systems, Navigation Standards Division (CG-NAV-2), 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Stop 7418,
Washington, DC 20593-7418
Phone:571 607-2796
Email: scott.k.whalen@uscg.mil