46 CFR 142.315: Engine room fire-extinguishing systems on towing vessels
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section sets added fire-extinguishing equipment for towing vessels, based on route, construction contract date and barge restrictions. Vessels in paragraph (a) must have either a 160-B semi-portable system or a fixed system for the engine room. Newer vessels on longer routes under paragraph (b) must have both.
Applies toTowing vessels certificated for the routes, and meeting the construction contract dates or barge conditions, described in paragraphs (a) and (b).
What it says
A towing vessel certificated for rivers, lakes, bays, and sounds, or less than 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, must have one of the two engine room systems listed in paragraph (a).
46 CFR 142.315(a)(1)“Certificated for rivers, lakes, bays, and sounds, less than 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes; or”
A towing vessel certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, oceans or waters beyond 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes must have one of the two engine room systems if its contract for construction was executed prior to August 27, 2003.
46 CFR 142.315(a)(2)“Certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, oceans or waters beyond 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, whose contract for construction was executed prior to August 27, 2003; or”
A towing vessel pushing a barge ahead or hauling a barge alongside must have one of the two engine room systems when the barge's route is restricted on its COI to fair weather only, within 12 miles of shore, or words to that effect.
46 CFR 142.315(a)(3)“Pushing a barge ahead or hauling a barge alongside, when the barge's coastwise, limited coastwise, or Great Lakes route is restricted, as indicated on its COI,”
A vessel covered by paragraph (a) may meet the requirement with an approved 160-B semi-portable fire-extinguishing system to protect the engine room.
46 CFR 142.315(a)(3)(i)“An approved 160-B semi-portable fire-extinguishing system to protect the engine room; or”
A vessel covered by paragraph (a) may instead meet the requirement with a fixed fire-extinguishing system installed to protect the engine room.
46 CFR 142.315(a)(3)(ii)“A fixed fire-extinguishing system installed to protect the engine room.”
A towing vessel certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, oceans, or beyond 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, with a construction contract executed on or after August 27, 2003, must have both systems. Towing vessels specified in paragraph (a)(3) are excepted.
46 CFR 142.315(b)“except for those specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, must be equipped with both:”
Common questions
Do newer towing vessels on coastwise or ocean routes need both engine room systems?
Yes. A towing vessel on those routes with a construction contract executed on or after August 27, 2003 must have both a 160-B semi-portable system and a fixed system, except those specified in paragraph (a)(3).
“except for those specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, must be equipped with both:”
Can a towing vessel use a fixed system instead of a 160-B semi-portable system?
Yes, for vessels covered by paragraph (a), either system is allowed. They must have an approved 160-B semi-portable system or a fixed system to protect the engine room.
“A fixed fire-extinguishing system installed to protect the engine room.”
The text of 46 CFR 142.315
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Additional fire-extinguishing equipment requirements
(a) A towing vessel that is:
(1) Certificated for rivers, lakes, bays, and sounds, less than 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes; or
(2) Certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, oceans or waters beyond 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes, whose contract for construction was executed prior to August 27, 2003; or
(3) Pushing a barge ahead or hauling a barge alongside, when the barge's coastwise, limited coastwise, or Great Lakes route is restricted, as indicated on its COI, so that the barge may operate “in fair weather only, within 12 miles of shore” or with words to that effect, must be equipped with either:
(i) An approved 160-B semi-portable fire-extinguishing system to protect the engine room; or
(ii) A fixed fire-extinguishing system installed to protect the engine room.
(b) A towing vessel that is certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, oceans, or beyond 3 nautical miles from shore on the Great Lakes whose contract for construction was executed on or after August 27, 2003, except for those specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, must be equipped with both:
(1) An approved 160-B semi-portable fire-extinguishing system to protect the engine room; and
(2) A fixed fire-extinguishing system installed to protect the engine room.
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.