This subpart applies to deck cargo barges operating in International and Great Lakes service and meeting the conditions of assignment in § 47.610 of this subpart.

Owners or operators of deck cargo barges which are draft limited by the intact stability requirements of 46 CFR 174.015 (a)(1) and (a)(2) may elect to be assigned load lines under this subpart in order to load to a draft corresponding to the intact stability requirement of 10 foot-degrees (46 CFR 174.015(a)(2)) while engaging in Great Lakes service during the summer season.

(a) A plimsoll mark (disc and line through center) applicable to International service must be placed at the draft corresponding to 15-degrees of righting energy as calculated in fulfilling the requirements of 46 CFR 174.015(a)(1).

(b) The seasonal ladder representing summer, winter, and winter North Atlantic seasons must be as shown in Figure 1 below.

(c) An equivalent Great Lakes summer seasonal line must be placed on the seasonal ladder at the draft corresponding to 10 foot-degrees of righting energy as calculated in fulfilling the requirements of 46 CFR 174.015(a)(2) and be marked with a (T).

(d) The fresh water mark may be omitted by request of the owner or operator.

(a) The mark (T) applies only to Great Lakes service from May 1 through September 30.

(b) Notations are to be placed on the face of the load line certificate to the effect that:

(1) The barge must be operated in compliance with the draft vs. cargo vertical center of gravity tables in the U.S. Coast Guard approved stability letter, and

(2) The mark (T) is applicable only for Great Lakes service from May 1 through September 30 as per 46 CFR 45.9

The form of the certificate is as specified in § 42.50-5(b) of this subchapter with the exception that the illustrated load line marks are as shown in Figure 1 below.