33 CFR 149.338: Immersion suit requirements for deepwater ports
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section sets immersion suit requirements for unmanned deepwater ports located north of 32 degrees North latitude. They must meet the requirements for mobile offshore drilling units under 46 CFR 108.580, and the suits must be approved under approval series 160.171. The suits may be stowed on a moored attending vessel.
Applies toEach unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude.
What it says
Each unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude must comply with the immersion suit requirements that apply to mobile offshore drilling units under 46 CFR 108.580.
33 CFR 149.338(a)“Each unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude must comply with the immersion suit requirements applicable to mobile offshore drilling units under 46 CFR 108.580”
The immersion suits must be approved under approval series 160.171.
33 CFR 149.338(a)“immersion suits must be approved under approval series 160.171”
Except as paragraph (b) of this section provides, the immersion suits need to be on the deepwater port only when persons are on board.
33 CFR 149.338(a)“Except as under paragraph (b) of this section, the immersion suits need be on the deepwater port only when persons are on board.”
If an attending vessel is moored to the unmanned deepwater port, the suits may be stowed on the vessel instead of on the deepwater port.
33 CFR 149.338(b)“If an attending vessel is moored to the unmanned deepwater port, the suits may be stowed on the vessel, instead of on the deepwater port.”
Common questions
Which deepwater ports must have immersion suits?
Each unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude must comply with the immersion suit requirements.
“Each unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude must comply with the immersion suit requirements applicable to mobile offshore drilling units under 46 CFR 108.580”
What approval must immersion suits on a deepwater port have?
The immersion suits must be approved under approval series 160.171.
“immersion suits must be approved under approval series 160.171”
Can immersion suits be kept on a vessel instead of the deepwater port?
Yes. If an attending vessel is moored to the unmanned deepwater port, the suits may be stowed on the vessel instead of on the port.
“If an attending vessel is moored to the unmanned deepwater port, the suits may be stowed on the vessel, instead of on the deepwater port.”
The text of 33 CFR 149.338
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
What are the requirements for immersion suits?
(a) Each unmanned deepwater port located north of 32 degrees North latitude must comply with the immersion suit requirements applicable to mobile offshore drilling units under 46 CFR 108.580, and immersion suits must be approved under approval series 160.171. Except as under paragraph (b) of this section, the immersion suits need be on the deepwater port only when persons are on board.
(b) If an attending vessel is moored to the unmanned deepwater port, the suits may be stowed on the vessel, instead of on the deepwater port.
Sections it refers to
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.