(a)
(1) When the Coast Guard determines that additional security measures are necessary to respond to a threat assessment or to a specific threat against the maritime elements of the national transportation system, the Coast Guard may issue a MARSEC Directive setting forth mandatory measures. Only the Commandant or his/her delegee may issue MARSEC Directives under this section. Prior to issuing a MARSEC Directive, the Commandant or his/her delegee will consult with those Federal agencies having an interest in the subject matter of that MARSEC Directive. All MARSEC Directives issued under this section shall be marked as sensitive security information (SSI) in accordance with 49 CFR part 1520.
(2) When a MARSEC Directive is issued, the Coast Guard will immediately publish a notice in the Federal Register, and affected owners and operators will need to go to their local COTP or cognizant District Commander to acquire a copy of the MARSEC Directive. COTPs and District Commanders will require owners or operators to prove that they are a person required by 49 CFR 1520.5(a) to restrict disclosure of and access to sensitive security information, and that under 49 CFR 1520.5(b), they have a need to know sensitive security information.
(b) Each owner or operator of a vessel or facility to whom a MARSEC Directive applies is required to comply with the relevant instructions contained in a MARSEC Directive issued under this section within the time prescribed by that MARSEC Directive.
(c) Each owner or operator of a vessel or facility required to have a security plan under parts 104, 105 or 106 of this subchapter that receives a MARSEC Directive must:
(1) Within the time prescribed in the MARSEC Directive, acknowledge receipt of the MARSEC Directive to their local COTP or, if a facility regulated under part 106 of this subchapter, to their cognizant District Commander; and
(2) Within the time prescribed in the MARSEC Directive, specify the method by which the measures in the MARSEC Directive have been implemented (or will be implemented, if the MARSEC Directive is not yet effective).
(d) In the event that the owner or operator of a vessel or facility required to have a security plan under part 104, 105, or 106 of this subchapter is unable to implement the measures in the MARSEC Directive, the owner or operator must submit proposed equivalent security measures and the basis for submitting the equivalent security measures to the COTP or, if a facility regulated under part 106 of this subchapter, to their cognizant District Commander, for approval.
(e) The owner or operator must submit the proposed equivalent security measures within the time prescribed in the MARSEC Directive. The owner or operator must implement any equivalent security measures approved by the COTP, or, if a facility regulated under part 106 of this subchapter, by their cognizant District Commander.
[USCG-2003-14792, 68 FR 39278, July 1, 2003, as amended at 68 FR 60472, Oct. 22, 2003]