46 CFR 15.1050: North Carolina waters for pilotage requirements
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section names the North Carolina waters covered when a vessel is berthing, unberthing, approaching or passing through a bridge, or making an intra-port transit. The waters are parts of the Cape Fear River and the Northeast Cape Fear River. This subpart does not apply if North Carolina law requires a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.
Applies toVessels on the listed navigable waters of the United States in North Carolina while maneuvering while berthing or unberthing, approaching or passing through a bridge, or making an intra-port transit.
What it says
The section covers navigable waters of the United States in North Carolina when a vessel is maneuvering while berthing or unberthing, approaching or passing through a bridge, or making any intra-port transit.
46 CFR 15.1050(a)“when the vessel is maneuvering while berthing or unberthing, is approaching or passing through a bridge, or is making any intra-port transit”
An intra-port transit may include, but is not limited to, movement from a dock to a dock, a dock to an anchorage, an anchorage to a dock, or an anchorage to an anchorage.
46 CFR 15.1050(a)“which transit may include but is not limited to movement from a dock to a dock, from a dock to an anchorage, from an anchorage to a dock, or from an anchorage to an anchorage”
The covered waters include the Cape Fear River from the boundary line established by 46 CFR 7.60 to Latitude 34°16.5′ N.
46 CFR 15.1050(a)(1)“The waters of the Cape Fear River from the boundary line established by 46 CFR 7.60 to Latitude 34°16.5′ N.”
The covered waters also include the Northeast Cape Fear River from its confluence with the Cape Fear River at Point Peter to Latitude 34°17′ N.
46 CFR 15.1050(a)(2)“The waters of the Northeast Cape Fear River from its confluence with the Cape Fear River at Point Peter to Latitude 34°17′ N.”
This subpart does not apply to a vessel on these waters if North Carolina law requires a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.
46 CFR 15.1050(b)“This subpart does not apply to any vessel on the waters specified in paragraph (a) of this section if the laws of the State of North Carolina require a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.”
Common questions
Which North Carolina waters does 46 CFR 15.1050 cover?
It covers parts of the Cape Fear River and the Northeast Cape Fear River. The Northeast Cape Fear River part runs from Point Peter to Latitude 34°17′ N.
“The waters of the Northeast Cape Fear River from its confluence with the Cape Fear River at Point Peter to Latitude 34°17′ N.”
When does this subpart not apply on North Carolina waters?
It does not apply to a vessel on the listed waters if North Carolina law requires a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.
“This subpart does not apply to any vessel on the waters specified in paragraph (a) of this section if the laws of the State of North Carolina require a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.”
What counts as an intra-port transit in North Carolina?
An intra-port transit may include, but is not limited to, moves between docks, between a dock and an anchorage, or between anchorages.
“which transit may include but is not limited to movement from a dock to a dock, from a dock to an anchorage, from an anchorage to a dock, or from an anchorage to an anchorage”
The text of 46 CFR 15.1050
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
North Carolina
(a) The following navigable waters of the United States within the State of North Carolina when the vessel is maneuvering while berthing or unberthing, is approaching or passing through a bridge, or is making any intra-port transit, which transit may include but is not limited to movement from a dock to a dock, from a dock to an anchorage, from an anchorage to a dock, or from an anchorage to an anchorage, within either of the following areas:
(1) The waters of the Cape Fear River from the boundary line established by 46 CFR 7.60 to Latitude 34°16.5′ N.
(2) The waters of the Northeast Cape Fear River from its confluence with the Cape Fear River at Point Peter to Latitude 34°17′ N.
(b) This subpart does not apply to any vessel on the waters specified in paragraph (a) of this section if the laws of the State of North Carolina require a State-licensed Pilot on the vessel.
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.