PUBLIC LAW 99-509—OCT. 21, 1986
100 STAT. 1915
"(A)(i) was constructed, under construction, or under con^ tract to be constructed as a fish tender vessel before Janu5 ^ ary 1, 1980; or "(ii) was converted for use as a fish tender vessel before January 1, 1983; and "(B) is not on a foreign voyage. "(6) a vessel of the United States on a domestic voyage that & does not cross the Boundary Line, except a voyage on the Great Lakes. "(7) a vessel of less than 24 meters (79 feet) overall in length. "(8) a public vessel of the United States on a domestic voyage. "(9) a vessel excluded from the application of this chapter by li an international agreement to which the United States Government is a party. "(10) an existing vessel of not more than 150 gross tons that is p on a domestic voyage. "(11) a small passenger vessel on a domestic voyage. •g: "(12) a vessel of the working fleet of the Panama Canal Commission not on a foreign voyage. "(c) On application by the owner and after a survey under section 5105 of this title, the Secretary may assign load lines for a vessel excluded from the application of this chapter under subsection (b) of this section. A vessel assigned load lines under this subsection is subject to this chapter until the surrender of its load line certificate and the removal of its load line marks. "(d) This chapter does not affect an international agreement to which the Government is a party that is not in conflict with the International Convention on Load Lines currently in force for the United States.
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International agreements.
International agreements.
"§ 5103. Load line requirements "(a) A vessel may be operated only if the vessel has been assigned load lines. "(b) The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, and individual in charge of a vessel shall mark and maintain the load lines permanently and conspicuously in the way prescribed by the Secretary.
46 USC 5103.
"§ 5104. Assignment of load lines "(a) The Secretary shall assign load lines for a vessel so that they indicate the minimum safe freeboard to which the vessel may be loaded. However, if the owner requests, the Secretary may assign load lines that result in greater freeboard than the minimum safe freeboard. "(b) In assigning load lines for a vessel, the Secretary shall consider— ""\ "(1) the service, type, and character of the vessel; ® "(2) the geographic area in which the vessel will operate; and ^. "(3) applicable international agreements to which the United States Government is a party. "(c) An existing vessel may retain its load lines assigned before January 1, 1986, unless the Secretary decides that a substantial change in the vessel after those load lines were assigned requires that new load lines be assigned under this chapter, "(d) The minimum freeboard of an existing vessel may be reduced only if the vessel complies with every applicable provision of this chapter.
46 USC 5104.
International agreements.
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