33 CFR 83.30: Lights for anchored vessels, aground vessels and barges

Last reviewed: November 9, 2026

This Rule 30 section says what lights and shapes a vessel at anchor or aground must show. It also sets lighting duties for certain moored barges. It lists exemptions for small vessels, certain moorings and listed well-illuminated areas.

Applies toVessels at anchor, vessels aground, and barges that are moored, at anchor or made fast to mooring buoys or similar devices.

What it says

  1. A vessel at anchor must exhibit, where it can best be seen, an all-round white light or one ball in the fore part. It must also exhibit an all-round white light at or near the stern, at a lower level than the forward light.

    33 CFR 83.30(a)(i)“In the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;”

  2. A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit one all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights in paragraph (a).

    33 CFR 83.30(b)“A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.”

  3. A vessel at anchor may use available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks. A vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall do so.

    33 CFR 83.30(c)“A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.”

  4. A vessel aground must exhibit the anchor lights in paragraph (a) or (b). If practicable, it must also exhibit two all-round red lights in a vertical line and three balls in a vertical line, where they can best be seen.

    33 CFR 83.30(d)“A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule and in addition, if practicable, where they can best be seen:”

  5. A vessel of less than 7 meters in length at anchor need not show the anchor lights or shape. This does not apply in or near a narrow channel, fairway or anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate.

    33 CFR 83.30(e)“A vessel of less than 7 meters in length, when at anchor, not in or near a narrow channel, fairway, anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shape prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule.”

  6. The listed barges must display the paragraph (i) lights at night, and if practicable in periods of restricted visibility. They include any barge projecting into a buoyed or restricted channel and any barge not moored parallel to the bank or dock.

    33 CFR 83.30(h)“The following barges shall display at night and if practicable in periods of restricted visibility the lights described in paragraph (i) of this Rule:”

  7. Barges described in paragraph (h) must carry two unobstructed all-round white lights. The lights must be visible for at least 1 nautical mile and meet the technical requirements in Annex I (33 CFR part 84).

    33 CFR 83.30(i)“Barges described in paragraph (h) of this Rule shall carry two unobstructed all-round white lights of an intensity to be visible for at least 1 nautical mile”

  8. A barge moored in a slip or slough used primarily for mooring purposes is exempt from this Rule, as is a barge moored behind a pierhead. The same applies to groups of such barges.

    33 CFR 83.30(k)(i)“A barge or group of barges moored in a slip or slough used primarily for mooring purposes.”

Common questions

Does a small vessel at anchor need an anchor light?

A vessel of less than 7 meters in length at anchor need not show anchor lights or shape. This holds only if it is not in or near a narrow channel, fairway, anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate.

“A vessel of less than 7 meters in length, when at anchor, not in or near a narrow channel, fairway, anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shape prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule.”

What lights must a vessel aground show?

A vessel aground must show the anchor lights in paragraph (a) or (b). If practicable, it must also show two all-round red lights in a vertical line and three balls in a vertical line.

“A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule and in addition, if practicable, where they can best be seen:”

Which barges must show lights?

Barges that must show lights include every barge projecting into a buoyed or restricted channel and every barge not moored parallel to the bank or dock. Other listed cases are in paragraph (h).

“Every barge not moored parallel to the bank or dock.”

Are barges in well-illuminated areas exempt from lighting?

Yes, barges moored in the well-illuminated areas listed in paragraph (l) are exempt from the lighting requirements of this Rule.

“Barges moored in well-illuminated areas are exempt from the lighting requirements of this Rule.”

The text of 33 CFR 83.30

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Vessels anchored, aground and moored barges (Rule 30)

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) In the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in paragraph (i) of this Rule, an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

(c) A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.

(d) A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule and in addition, if practicable, where they can best be seen:

(i) Two all-round red lights in a vertical line; and

(ii) Three balls in a vertical line.

(e) A vessel of less than 7 meters in length, when at anchor, not in or near a narrow channel, fairway, anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shape prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule.

(f) A vessel of less than 12 meters in length when aground shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed in paragraphs (d)(i) and (ii) of this Rule.

(g) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special anchorage area designated by the Coast Guard, shall not be required to exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule.

(h) The following barges shall display at night and if practicable in periods of restricted visibility the lights described in paragraph (i) of this Rule:

(i) Every barge projecting into a buoyed or restricted channel.

(ii) Every barge so moored that it reduces the available navigable width of any channel to less than 80 meters.

(iii) Barges moored in groups more than two barges wide or to a maximum width of over 25 meters.

(iv) Every barge not moored parallel to the bank or dock.

(i) Barges described in paragraph (h) of this Rule shall carry two unobstructed all-round white lights of an intensity to be visible for at least 1 nautical mile and meeting the technical requirements as prescribed in Annex I (33 CFR part 84).

(j) A barge or group of barges at anchor or made fast to one or more mooring buoys or other similar device, in lieu of the provisions of this Rule, may carry unobstructed all-round white lights of an intensity to be visible for at least 1 nautical mile that meet the requirements of Annex I (33 CFR part 84) and shall be arranged as follows:

(i) Any barge that projects from a group formation, shall be lighted on its outboard corners.

(ii) On a single barge moored in water where other vessels normally navigate on both sides of the barge, lights shall be placed to mark the corner extremities of the barge.

(iii) On barges moored in group formation, moored in water where other vessels normally navigate on both sides of the group, lights shall be placed to mark the corner extremities of the group.

(k) The following are exempt from the requirements of this Rule:

(i) A barge or group of barges moored in a slip or slough used primarily for mooring purposes.

(ii) A barge or group of barges moored behind a pierhead.

(iii) A barge less than 20 meters in length when moored in a special anchorage area designated in accordance with § 109.10 of this chapter.

(l) Barges moored in well-illuminated areas are exempt from the lighting requirements of this Rule. These areas are as follows:

Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal

(1) Mile 293.2 to 293.9

(2) Mile 295.2 to 296.1

(3) Mile 297.5 to 297.8

(4) Mile 298 to 298.2

(5) Mile 298.6 to 298.8

(6) Mile 299.3 to 299.4

(7) Mile 299.8 to 300.5

(8) Mile 303 to 303.2

(9) Mile 303.7 to 303.9

(10) Mile 305.7 to 305.8

(11) Mile 310.7 to 310.9

(12) Mile 311 to 311.2

(13) Mile 312.5 to 312.6

(14) Mile 313.8 to 314.2

(15) Mile 314.6

(16) Mile 314.8 to 315.3

(17) Mile 315.7 to 316

(18) Mile 316.8

(19) Mile 316.85 to 317.05

(20) Mile 317.5

(21) Mile 318.4 to 318.9

(22) Mile 318.7 to 318.8

(23) Mile 320 to 320.3

(24) Mile 320.6

(25) Mile 322.3 to 322.4

(26) Mile 322.8

(27) Mile 322.9 to 327.2

Calumet Sag Channel

(28) Mile 316.5

Little Calumet River

(29) Mile 321.2

(30) Mile 322.3

Calumet River

(31) Mile 328.5 to 328.7

(32) Mile 329.2 to 329.4

(33) Mile 330 west bank to 330.2

(34) Mile 331.4 to 331.6

(35) Mile 332.2 to 332.4

(36) Mile 332.6 to 332.8

Cumberland River

(37) Mile 126.8

(38) Mile 191

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 March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.