NVIC 09-81: Guidance on shipboard helicopter facilities

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This circular gives industry and Coast Guard personnel uniform guidance on the design, construction, and equipage of helicopter facilities aboard Coast Guard certificated vessels. It applies to vessels designed with a facility for routine helicopter operations. The guidelines in enclosure (1) are used to review helicopter facilities on certificated vessels, but the circular does not apply to MODU helicopter facilities.

Applies toThis guide applies to vessels designed with a facility for routine helicopter operations, and it does not apply to emergency helicopter facilities or to MODU helicopter facilities.

What it says

  1. This circular is guidance meant to give industry and Coast Guard personnel uniform direction on helicopter facilities aboard Coast Guard certificated vessels.

    “The purpose of this Circular is to provide industry and Coast Guard personnel with”

  2. The guide applies to vessels designed with a facility for routine helicopter operations.

    “This guide applies to vessels designed with a facility for routine helicopter operations.”

  3. The guide does not apply to emergency helicopter facilities, which should be rigged as necessary if helicopter assistance is required.

    “It is not applicable to emergency helicopter facilities which should be rigged as necessary should helicopter assistance be required.”

  4. The Coast Guard encourages that an operations manual be provided for each shipboard helicopter facility.

    NVIC 09-81 d.“The Coast Guard encourages that an operations manual be provided for each shipboard helicopter facility.”

  5. Military, classification society, or other standards that address the same topical areas outlined in enclosure (1) may also be accepted.

    NVIC 09-81 f.“Military, classification society, or other standards which address the same topical areas outlined in enclosure (1) may also be accepted.”

  6. The circular does not apply to MODU helicopter facilities, which will continue to be reviewed using 46 CFR Part 108.

    “This NVC is not applicable to MODU helicopter facilities which will continue to be reviewed using 46 CFR Part 108.”

Common questions

Does NVIC 9-81 apply to emergency helicopter facilities?

No. The guide does not apply to emergency helicopter facilities, which should be rigged as necessary if helicopter assistance is required.

“It is not applicable to emergency helicopter facilities which should be rigged as necessary should helicopter assistance be required.”

Can another standard be used for a shipboard helicopter facility?

Yes. Military, classification society, or other standards that address the same topical areas outlined in enclosure (1) may also be accepted.

“Military, classification society, or other standards which address the same topical areas outlined in enclosure (1) may also be accepted.”

Does NVIC 9-81 cover helicopter facilities on MODUs?

No. MODU helicopter facilities will continue to be reviewed using 46 CFR Part 108.

“This NVC is not applicable to MODU helicopter facilities which will continue to be reviewed using 46 CFR Part 108.”

Should a shipboard helicopter facility have an operations manual?

The Coast Guard encourages that an operations manual be provided for each shipboard helicopter facility.

“The Coast Guard encourages that an operations manual be provided for each shipboard helicopter facility.”

The text of NVIC 09-81

U.S. Coast Guard, NVIC 09-81 (main body; enclosures not shown)

Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES COAST GUARD U.S. Coast Guard (G-MMT-4) Washington, D.C. 20593 (202) 426-2197 NVC 9-81 10 Aug 1981 NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR NO. 9-81 Subj: Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities

Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities — PURPOSE. The purpose of this Circular is to provide industry and Coast Guard personnel with

uniform guidance regarding the design, construction, and equipage of helicopter facilities aboard Coast Guard certificated vessels.

Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities — APPLICATION. This guide applies to vessels designed with a facility for routine helicopter

operations. It is not applicable to emergency helicopter facilities which should be rigged as necessary should helicopter assistance be required.

Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities — DISCUSSION.

a. Helicopter transport of goods and personnel to and from vessels can be an attractive means of logistic support while underway. For this reason, helicopter logistic support has become a common practice on many foreign flag vessels, especially tank vessels. In the United States, there has been an increasing number of requests by industry for guide-lines for the design and construction of shipboard helicopter facilities on Coast Guard certificated vessels. It is expected that the Coast Guard will continue to receive such requests. b. Shipboard helicopter facilities incorporate many design features which concern vessel safety. Fire protection, structure, stability, and vessel arrangement are all addressed in existing vessel regulations. Heretofore, Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) regulations have often been employed as guidance for Coast Guard review of helicopter facilities on certificated vessels other than MODUs. These regulations have proven to be very effective guide-lines for the construction of all types of shipboard helicopter facilities. c. This Circular generally applies the MODU helicopter regulations to ships. Due to the nature of ship operations, it also includes guidance on facility location, hoisting, and special tankship requirements. d. The Coast Guard encourages that an operations manual be provided for each shipboard helicopter facility. Such a manual could include a description of the facility and a checklist of safety precautions, procedures, and equipment requirements. e. The International Chamber of Shipping publication, "Guide to Helicopter Ship Operations" contains excellent operational guidance including a general checklist which could be contained in the ship's operations manual. This guide may be obtained by writing to The Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping, 30-32 St. Mary Axe, London EC3. f. The guidance of this NVC provides one acceptable standard for helicopter facilities. Military, classification society, or other standards which address the same topical areas outlined in enclosure (1) may also be accepted.

Coast Guard Guidance Regarding Shipboard Helicopter Facilities — ACTION. The guidelines contained in enclosure (1) are for use in conducting Coast Guard review

of helicopter facilities on all certificated vessels. This NVC is not applicable to MODU helicopter facilities which will continue to be reviewed using 46 CFR Part 108. End: (1) Shipboard Helicopter Facility Guide NON-STANDARD DISTRIBUTION: Ce: Baltimore (75); San Francisco, Mobile, Pittsburgh, Providence, Norfolk (50); Galveston (30); Cleveland, Portland OR, Sturgeon Bay (25); San Diego, Savannah, Buffalo, Corpus Christi (20); Tampa, Valdez, Milwaukee, Louisville, Detroit, Toledo, Nashville, Anchorage (15); Portland ME, Duluth, Charleston, Huntington, Minneapolis-St Paul (Dubuque), San Juan, Guam (10); Juneau, Cincinnati, Memphis, Wilmington, Miami, Paducah, Albany (5) extra Cm: New Orleans (250); New York (200); Seattle (100); Houston (50); Terminal Is (LA-LB), Philadelphia (40) extra Em: New London, Houma (30); Ludington (8); extra En: Ketchikan, Kenai, Kodiak, Lake Charles (5) extra CG-12, ZTC-68

Sections it refers to

  • 46 CFR Part 108

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. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.