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H.R. 6410House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Atlantic Coast Shipping Safety Act

Sponsored by David RouzerRep. David Rouzer (R-NC)
Introduced December 3, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 3, 2026 at 9:22 AM UTC

The Atlantic Coast Shipping Safety Act directs the Secretary overseeing the Coast Guard to create official navigation safety corridors—called shipping safety fairways—along the Atlantic coast. Within one year of the law’s passage, a regulation must be issued that sets a minimum width for these fairways based on a 2024 Coast Guard proposal, with certain types of routes exempted. The rule will apply to the same geographic area covered by the Coast Guard’s proposed fairways and will become effective on December 31, 2026. The bill mainly affects commercial and other vessels operating near the Atlantic shoreline and the ports they serve.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary must issue a regulation for near‑shore and offshore shipping safety fairways within one year of enactment.
  • The regulation must set a minimum width that is at least as wide as the width proposed in the Coast Guard’s January 19, 2024 rule.
  • The minimum‑width requirement does not apply to connector, cut‑across, cutoff fairways, traffic separation schemes, or precautionary areas.
  • The regulation applies to the geographic area defined in the Coast Guard’s 2024 “Shipping Safety Fairways Along the Atlantic Coast” proposal.
  • The new regulation will take effect on December 31, 2026.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee

February 2, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

December 3, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

December 3, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee

February 2, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued December 3, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6410

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 3, 2025

Mr. Rouzer (for himself, Ms. Gillen, and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To establish navigation safety corridors for shipping safety fairways and complementary port approaches, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Atlantic Coast Shipping Safety Act.

2.

Port access routes

(a)

Regulation

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue a regulation for nearshore and offshore shipping safety fairways, to include a minimum appropriate width of not less than the width proposed in the proposed rule of the Coast Guard titled Shipping Safety Fairways Along the Atlantic Coast, issued on January 19, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 3587).

(b)

Exception

The minimum appropriate width under subsection (a) shall not apply to connector, cut-across, or cutoff fairways, Traffic Separation Schemes, or precautionary areas.

(c)

Applicability

In issuing the regulation under subsection (a), the Secretary shall apply the regulation to the geographic area covered by the proposed rule of the Coast Guard titled Shipping Safety Fairways Along the Atlantic Coast, issued on January 19, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 3587).

(d)

Effective date

The regulation issued under subsection (a) shall take effect on December 31, 2026.