33 CFR stands for Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which governs Navigation and Navigable Waters in the United States. It contains rules and regulations issued primarily by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), along with other federal maritime authorities.
As of 2025, Title 33 CFR contains over 200 parts, divided into subchapters based on subject area, see table 2-1.
| Subchapter | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | Parts 1–199 | U.S. Coast Guard general navigation rules, aids to navigation, bridges, boating safety, marine environmental protection |
| B | Parts 200–399 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regulations on navigation, locks, dam operations, and permitting |
| C | Parts 400–499 | Saint Lawrence Seaway regulations |
| E | Parts 500–599 | U.S. Coast Guard regulations on Great Lakes Pilotage |
| F–G | Varies | Regs covering Outer Continental Shelf activities, deepwater ports, and marine pollution |
Table 2-1: High-level breakdown of the major subchapters and example parts
Parts that Apply for MTSA Facilities:
As my focus is for MTSA Regulated Facilities, out of the various parts, only the following SUBCHAPTER applies, see Table 2-2:
Parts in Subchapter H (MTSA-Related)
| Part | Subject |
|---|---|
| 101 | General Provisions (security terms, MARSEC levels) |
| 102 | National Maritime Transportation Security Incident Response |
| 103 | Area Maritime Security Committees (AMSCs) |
| 104 | Vessel Security |
| 105 | Facility Security |
| 106 | Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Facility Security |
Table 2-2: Parts in Subchapter H
More specifically, the following applies to a MTSA regulated facility:
| Topic | Reference | Applies To | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facility Security Plans | 33 CFR 105 | MTSA-regulated terminals | COTP |
| Port Authority & Control | 33 CFR 160 | Ships & Facilities | COTP |
| Cyber Incident Reporting | NVIC 01-20, 33 CFR 101.305 | OT/IT systems | NRC & COTP |
| AMSC Participation | 33 CFR 103 | Stakeholders in the port | FMSC |
| MTSA Requirements | 33 CFR 101–106 | Maritime sector security | DHS & USCG |
Table 2-3: Parts (from the Subchapter H) that applies to MTSA Facilities such as a Chemical Plant.
This article however focuses mainly on the 33 CFR Part 101, which falls under the MTSA Requirements. Hence We will explore this topic. If you need more information on other topics in Table 2-3, refer to the post [Understanding U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security: What Facilities and Stakeholders Need to Know], also you can view all of 33 CFR online via ecfr.gov (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations), updated regularly by the National Archives and Office of the Federal Register.
Now lets get back to the new rule making , check out the Part 3 of the post
[All about the Cyber Security Plan (CSP), CySO and MTSA Facility – Part 3]