132 



Admiral Smith. Mr. Keith, we would completely support a pro- 

 gram to expand the facilities of our oceanography school to train 

 non-Coast Guard personnel. It is difficult to make a positive commit- 

 ment concerning the magnitude of the expansion but I feel that we 

 could undertake early next calendar year a program to train that type 

 of student. As an estimate I would say that with 3 months' notice and 

 additional reimbursable funding provided by the sponsoring group 

 to cover increased expenses, we could embark on a program to double 

 the output of our present level of 80 per year to a level of 160. One 

 problem would be providing the ship time which is a part of the course 

 and this would require further study. 



Mr. Lennon. Mr. Rogers, do you have any questions ? 



Mr. Rogers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Admiral, I am sorry I was a little late because of another committee. 



What is your present activity in inspecting and certifying undersea 

 structures for safety ? 



Admiral Smeth. We have been working with our offshore oil in- 

 dustry since just about its very beginning. 



And when you speak of "undersea structures," of course, there are 

 no undersea structures as such now. The main structure is above the 

 sea, but it is resting on the sea bed. 



Under the Continental Shelf Lands Act, we have the responsibility 

 for assuring some of the safety conditions on these rigs. This regards, 

 primarily, safety of navigation, what type of lights they shall display, 

 what type of fog signals, what type of firefighting equipment, and 

 what type of equipment for escape from the rig 



Mr. Rogers. You are presently doing this now on all oil rigs ? 



Admiral Smith. On all that are manned, yes. 



Mr. Rogers. Wliat about the unmanned ones ? 



Admiral Smith. Some of these don't obtain, but the lights and sig- 

 nals do pertain 



Mr. Rogers. What are your present activities in inspecting and 

 certifying undersea, nonmilitary submersibles ? 



Admiral Smith. We have looked at the marine inspection laws, and 

 we are convinced that the submersible, when it reaches the tonnages 

 that the laws apply to, do come under the present laws. 



But there is quite a gap in here as far as the small submersible is 

 concerned, because the marine inspection laws do not apply to vessels 

 of this very small tonnage. And this is the reason we are providing 

 legislation to provide this responsibility. 



Mr. Rogers. When will that be presented ? 



Admiral Smith. It has been drafted, and I believe it has just 

 cleared the Department — or it is in the Bureau of the Budget. 



Mr. Rogers. I recall discussing with you the need to go ahead and 

 take some action in this field about a year ago. We now have many 

 smaller submersibles built, yet there is no agency giving a certification 

 of safety. 



Admiral Smith, As a practical matter, there is, Mr. Rogers, be- 

 cause practically all of these are being built under the general guid- 

 ance of the Navy, and they are being built to carry out projects or 

 contracts in the oceanographic field that are under some type of 

 Federal contract. 



So, for practical purposes, the Navy has been supervising the basic 

 safety requirements of these exploratory vessels. 



