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NY R02687




November 8, 2005

CLA-2-84:RR:NC:1:104 R02687

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 8479.89.9897

Ms. Sharon Fernandez
Logistics Coordinator
Global Industries L.L.C.
11490 Westheimer Road, Suite 400
Houston, TX 77077

RE: The tariff classification of a saturation diving system from Norway

Dear Ms. Fernandez:

In your letter dated October 14, 2005 you requested a tariff classification ruling.

Literature and photos have been provided for a Global 300/12 Saturation Diving System. The system, capable of delivering 3 divers to a depth of 300 meters is designed in framed modular form to be mobilized and assembled on site. The entire system will be imported in a single shipment.

You describe the system’s main components essentially as follows:

DDC I. 6 man Double Lock Chamber – the core of the system, it has two compartments, a main lock and a transfer lock. The main lock can accommodate 6 persons with built-in bunks, storage lockers, communications and an environmental control system, removing CO2 and adding oxygen as required. The transfer lock is a wet lock area for transfer of personnel from the main compartment to the diving bell. It is outfitted with a WC, shower and washing facility, BIBS (Built-In Breathing System) for 3 persons, monitoring and communications equipment.

DDC II. 4 man Single Lock Chamber – side mated onto the side of the transfer lock and outfitted to accommodate 4 persons, it’s complete with toilet and washing facility, monitoring and BIBS.

DDC III, 3 man Decompression /12 man Rescue Chamber - side mated onto the end of the DDC I Transfer Lock and outfitted to accommodate 3 persons decompressing during normal diving operations and 12 persons in Hyperbaric Rescue Chamber (HRC) mode. Monitoring and communications to the control room are as per DDC I but fitted with 12 persons BIBS manifolds. During normal diving operations this compartment will be utilized to decompress one team of 3 divers back to atmospheric conditions. In an emergency, the DDC III can be disconnected and launched into the sea. The launch system uses three hydraulic accumulators supported by pure nitrogen cylinders.

Dive and Saturation Control Room - located above DDC I, this air conditioned control room has access doors from the upper level, windows to view the launch and recovery area and is configured with a dive control panel at the launch area and saturation control panels set to the opposite end of the room arranged to control, monitor and record.

Diving Bell – side mated and locked using a mechanical closure device onto the entry end of the DDC I Transfer Lock by way of a transit trolley set within the Launch and Recovery Assembly. The bell is provided with diver gas supply and reclaim facility, electrical power, communications, and hot water for heating via the umbilical.

Launch and Recovery Assembly – secured to the base frame on axial alignment with the diving bell mating flange, the assembly consists of a dual cylinder operated “A” frame supporting the main lift wire sheave, a guide wire sheave, and umbilical guide sheave.

Winch and Hydraulics Assembly – includes the main lift winch with 300 meters of non-rotating wire rope, a guide wire winch with 650 meters of non-rotating wire rope, the primary hydraulic power pack, an emergency power pack and a local control panel with extension to enable operation from the bell control room together with all pumps, filters, valves, manifolds, instrumentation and safety devices to launch and recover the diving bell in a safe and timely manner.

Diver Gas Reclaim (Gasmizer) – comprised of a dive control console, internal and external bell equipment, gas booster and topside reprocessing unit.

Life Support, Environmental Control Container – houses three environmental control units (ECU’s) for the independent environmental control (from the saturation diving control panels) of each of the DDC’s. Each ECU consists of a CO2 scrubber, heater, chiller, booster pump, control valves, etc.

Machinery & Electrical Distribution Container – includes compressors, divers hot water, DDC fresh water supplies, electrical distribution, etc.

11. Umbilical Basket – an open container for 330 meter long main umbilical stowage, fitted with a hydraulically powered umbilical wheel.

The Explanatory Notes (ENs) of the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) provide guidance in the interpretation of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System at the international level. The Explanatory Notes to heading 8479 under Part III, Miscellaneous Machinery includes as item (20), diving bells mechanically equipped. Your system includes, as indicated above, all the controls, electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics and other mechanical systems in addition to the diving bell and related chambers.

The applicable subheading for the Saturation Diving System will be 8479.89.9897, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for machines and mechanical appliances having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in chapter 84: other machines and mechanical appliances: other: other: other: other. The rate of duty will be 2.5 percent.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Robert Losche at 646-733-3011.

Sincerely,

Robert B. Swierupski
Director,

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