NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 861

HOUSE BILL 1472

 

 

AN ACT REWRITING G.S. 76-13 AND G.S. 76-14 RELATING TO THE FEES OF THE CAPE FEAR RIVER PILOTS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 76-13 is hereby rewritten to read as follows:

"§ 76-13.  When employment compulsory. — Every foreign vessel and every United States vessel sailing under register, over 60 gross tons, shall take a State-licensed pilot from sea to Southport, and from Southport to sea; the employment of pilots from Southport to Wilmington and from Wilmington to Southport is optional, but any foreign vessel and United States Flag vessel under register taking a pilot from Southport to Wilmington or from Wilmington to Southport shall employ a State- licensed pilot.

Sec. 2.  G.S. 76-14 is hereby rewritten to read as follows:

"§ 76-14.  Rates of pilotage. — (a) Pilotage charges for vessels inbound or outbound shall be based on the overall length and draft of such vessel in general classifications as follows:

(1)        Overall length less than 550 feet - $10.50 per draft ft.

(2)        Overall length from 550 feet but less than 750 feet - $12.00 per draft ft.

(3)        Overall length 750 feet and over - $13.50 per draft ft.

(b)        Overall length is the distance between the forward and after extremities of the vessel.

(c)        The measurements described herein shall be in United States measurements of feet and inches and shall be furnished to the pilot by the master of the vessel or her agent for the purpose of computation of pilotage fees.

(d)        There shall be a minimum often feet draft for each vessel in determining the pilotage charges.

(e)        Beginning July 1, 1972, the pilotage charges as set forth in the length classifications above shall be increased $1.00 for each such classification.

(f)         The Board of Commissioners of Navigation and Pilotage for the Cape Fear River and Bar shall determine the amount to be charged for a fraction of a draft foot not in conflict with the provisions of this act, and they shall be the sole arbitrators of any question arising concerning any pilotage charge.

(g)        The charge for towing vessels with a tow requiring one pilot shall be based on the vessel with the deepest draft in the tow. The charge for towing vessels with a tow requiring two pilots (one on the towing vessel and one on the vessel in tow) shall be the regular pilotage fee for each vessel.

(h)        The charge for a pilot's service for shifting any vessel shall be fifty dollars ($50.00). A vessel shifting "dead" (without power) will be charged double the regular shifting fee.

(i)         The charge for detention of a pilot onboard because of weather conditions preventing pilot from being removed shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) per day of detention, plus the furnishing of quarters equal to those of a deck officer, plus the cost of first class transportation for a return trip to Wilmington.

(j)         A charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be made for a cancellation not due to weather conditions when the cancellation is made less than two hours before the pilot was ordered to board the vessel. If there is a delay of more than one-half hour in sailing, not caused by weather conditions, a charge often dollars ($10.00) per hour, or fraction thereof, shall be made computed from the scheduled sailing time.

(k)        All vessels calling at either of the Cape Fear river ports which require pilotage will pay full pilotage rates regardless of which port or portion of a port at which they call.

Sec. 3.  Chapter 558 of the 1971 Session Laws is hereby repealed.

Sec. 4.  This act shall be in full force and effect on July 1, 1971.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the l4th day of July, 1971.