33 U.S.C. § 1201 : US Code - Section 1201: Statement of purpose

Search 33 U.S.C. § 1201 : US Code - Section 1201: Statement of purpose

It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a positive means
whereby the operators of approaching vessels can communicate their
intentions to one another through voice radio, located convenient
to the operator's navigation station. To effectively accomplish
this, there is need for a specific frequency or frequencies
dedicated to the exchange of navigational information, on navigable
waters of the United States.