Federal

Title 46 — Shipping

1,032 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.

• § 57521 — Termination of charter during national emergency
• § 57522 — Books and records, balance sheets, and inspection and auditing
• § 57531 — Construction and charter of vessels for unsuccessful routes
• § 57532 — Operation of experimental vessels
• § 57533 — Vessel chartering authority
• § 58101 — Operating in domestic intercoastal or coastwise service
• § 58102 — Default on payment or maintenance of reserves
• § 58103 — Employing another person as managing or operating agent
• § 58104 — Willful violation constitutes breach of contract or charter
• § 58105 — Preferences for cargo in which charterer has interest
• § 58106 — Concerted discriminatory activities
• § 58107 — Discrimination at ports by water common carriers
• § 58108 — Charges for transportation subject to subtitle IV of title 49
• § 58109 — Penalties
• § 60101 — Boarding arriving vessels before inspection
• § 60102 — Production of certificate on entry
• § 60103 — Oath of ownership on entry
• § 60104 — Depositing certificates of documentation with consular officers
• § 60105 — Clearance of vessels
• § 60106 — State inspection laws
• § 60107 — Payment of fees on departing vessel
• § 60108 — Duty to transport tendered cargo
• § 60109 — Duty to transport money and securities of the United States Government
• § 60301 — Regular tonnage taxes
• § 60302 — Special tonnage taxes
• § 60303 — Light money
• § 60304 — Presidential suspension of tonnage taxes and light money
• § 60305 — Vessels in distress
• § 60306 — Vessels not engaged in trade
• § 60307 — Vessels engaged in coastwise trade or the fisheries
• § 60308 — Vessels engaged in Great Lakes trade
• § 60309 — Passenger vessels making trips between ports of the United States and foreign ports
• § 60310 — Vessels making daily trips on interior waters
• § 60311 — Hospital vessels in time of war
• § 60312 — Rights under treaties preserved
• § 60501 — Vessels allowed to import
• § 60502 — Discriminating duty on goods imported in foreign vessels or from contiguous countries
• § 60503 — Reciprocal suspension of discriminating duties
• § 60504 — Reciprocal privileges for recreational vessels
• § 60505 — Retaliatory suspension of commercial privileges
• § 60506 — Retaliation against British dominions of North America
• § 60507 — Suspension of free passage through Saint Marys Falls Canal
• § 6101 — Marine casualties and reporting
• § 6102 — State marine casualty reporting system
• § 6103 — Penalty
• § 6104 — Commercial fishing industry vessel casualty statistics
• § 6301 — Investigation of marine casualties
• § 6302 — Public investigations
• § 6303 — Rights of parties in interest
• § 6304 — Subpoena authority
• § 6305 — Reports of investigations
• § 6306 — Penalty
• § 6307 — Notifications to Congress
• § 6308 — Information barred in legal proceedings
• § 6309 — Voyage data recorder access
• § 70001 — Vessel traffic services
• § 70002 — Special powers
• § 70003 — Port access routes
• § 70004 — Considerations by Secretary
• § 70005 — International agreements
• § 70006 — Establishment by Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating of anchorage grounds and regulations generally
• § 70007 — Anchorage grounds
• § 70011 — Waterfront safety
• § 70012 — Navigational hazards
• § 70013 — Requirement to notify Coast Guard of release of objects into the navigable waters of the United States
• § 70014 — Aiming laser pointer at vessel
• § 70021 — Conditions for entry to ports in the United States
• § 70022 — Prohibition on entry and operation
• § 70031 — Definitions
• § 70032 — Delegation of ports and waterways authorities in Saint Lawrence Seaway
• § 70033 — Limitation on application to foreign vessels
• § 70034 — Regulations
• § 70035 — Investigatory powers
• § 70036 — Enforcement
• § 70041 — Regattas and marine parades
• § 70051 — Regulation of anchorage and movement of vessels during national emergency
• § 70052 — Seizure and forfeiture of vessel; fine and imprisonment
• § 70053 — Enforcement provisions
• § 70054 — Definitions
• § 70101 — Definitions
• § 70102 — United States facility and vessel vulnerability assessments
• § 70102a — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8507(d)(1), Jan. 1, 2021 , 134 Stat. 4754 ]
• § 70103 — Maritime transportation security plans
• § 70104 — Transportation security incident response
• § 70105 — Transportation worker identification credentials
• § 70106 — Deployable, specialized forces
• § 70107 — Grants
• § 70107A — Repealed. Pub. L. 115–254, div. J, § 1809(a)(1) , Oct. 5, 2018 , 132 Stat. 3537 ]
• § 70108 — Foreign port assessment
• § 70109 — Notifying foreign authorities
• § 70110 — Actions and assistance for foreign ports or facilities and United States territories
• § 70111 — Enhanced crewmember identification
• § 70112 — Maritime Security Advisory Committees
• § 70113 — Maritime intelligence
• § 70114 — Automatic identification systems
• § 70115 — Long-range vessel tracking system
• § 70116 — Port, harbor, and coastal facility security
• § 70117 — Repealed. Pub. L. 111–281, title II, § 208(b) , Oct. 15, 2010 , 124 Stat. 2912 ]
• § 70118 — Enforcement by State and local officers
• § 70119 — Civil penalty
• § 70120 — In rem liability for civil penalties and certain costs
• § 70121 — Withholding of clearance
• § 70122 — Waterway Watch Program
• § 70123 — Mobile biometric identification
• § 70124 — Regulations
• § 70125 — Port security training for facility security officers
• § 70131 — Definitions
• § 70132 — Credentialing standards, training, and certification for State and local support for the enforcement of security zones for the transportation of especially hazardous cargo
• § 70301 — Definitions
• § 70302 — International measures for seaport and vessel security
• § 70303 — Security standards at foreign ports
• § 70304 — Travel advisories on security at foreign ports
• § 70305 — Suspension of passenger services
• § 70306 — Report on terrorist threats
• § 70501 — Findings and declarations
• § 70502 — Definitions
• § 70503 — Prohibited acts
• § 70504 — Jurisdiction and venue
• § 70505 — Failure to comply with international law as a defense
• § 70506 — Penalties
• § 70507 — Forfeitures
• § 70508 — Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality
• § 7101 — Issuing and classifying licenses and certificates of registry
• § 7102 — Citizenship or noncitizen nationality
• § 7103 — Licenses for radio officers
• § 7104 — Certificates for medical doctors and nurses
• § 7105 — Oaths
• § 7106 — Duration of licenses
• § 7107 — Duration of certificates of registry
• § 7108 — Termination of licenses and certificates of registry
• § 7109 — Review of criminal records
• § 7110 — Exhibiting licenses
• § 7111 — Oral examinations for licenses
• § 7112 — Licenses of masters or mates as pilots
• § 7113 — Exemption from draft
• § 7114 — Fees
• § 7115 — Repealed. Pub. L. 115–282, title VI, § 601(c)(2) , Dec. 4, 2018 , 132 Stat. 4289 ]
• § 7116 — Examinations for merchant mariner credentials
• § 7301 — General
• § 7302 — Issuing merchant mariners’ documents and continuous discharge books
• § 7303 — Possession and description of merchant mariners’ documents
• § 7304 — Citizenship or noncitizen nationality notation on merchant mariners’ documents
• § 7305 — Oaths for holders of merchant mariners’ documents
• § 7306 — General requirements and classifications for members of deck departments
• § 7307 — Able seamen—unlimited
• § 7308 — Able seamen—limited
• § 7309 — Able seamen—special
• § 7310 — Able seamen—offshore supply vessels
• § 7311 — Able seamen—sail
• § 7311a — Able seamen—fishing industry
• § 7312 — Scale of employment
• § 7313 — General requirements for members of engine departments
• § 7314 — Repealed. Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(f) , Dec. 18, 2025 , 139 Stat. 1755 ]
• § 7315 — Training
• § 7316 — Lifeboatmen
• § 7317 — Tankermen
• § 7318 — Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes
• § 7319 — Records of merchant mariners’ documents
• § 7501 — Duplicates
• § 7502 — Records
• § 7503 — Dangerous drugs as grounds for denial
• § 7504 — Travel and expense reimbursement
• § 7505 — Review of information in National Driver Register
• § 7506 — Convention tonnage for licenses, certificates, and documents
• § 7507 — Authority to extend the duration of licenses, certificates of registry, and merchant mariner documents
• § 7508 — Authority to extend the duration of medical certificates
• § 7509 — Medical certification by trusted agents
• § 7510 — Examinations for merchant mariner credentials
• § 7511 — Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial
• § 7512 — Requirements of electronic merchant mariner credentialing system
• § 7701 — General
• § 7702 — Administrative procedure
• § 7703 — Bases for suspension or revocation
• § 7704 — Dangerous drugs as grounds for revocation
• § 7704a — Sexual harassment or sexual assault as grounds for suspension or revocation
• § 7705 — Subpenas and oaths
• § 7706 — Drug testing reporting
• § 80101 — Vessel stranded on foreign coast
• § 80102 — Repealed. Pub. L. 110–375, § 1(1) , Oct. 8, 2008 , 122 Stat. 4055 ]
• § 80103 — Property on Florida coast to be taken to port of entry
• § 80104 — Salvaging operations by foreign vessels
• § 80105 — Canadian vessels aiding vessels in United States waters
• § 80106 — International agreement on derelicts
• § 80107 — Salvors of life to share in remuneration
• § 80301 — International agreements
• § 80302 — Patrol services
• § 80303 — Speed of vessel in ice region
• § 80304 — Limitation on ice patrol data
• § 80501 — Definitions
• § 80502 — Application of Convention
• § 80503 — General authority of the Secretary
• § 80504 — Approval and examination
• § 80505 — Enforcement
• § 80506 — Delegation of authority
• § 80507 — Employee protection
• § 80508 — Amendments to Convention
• § 80509 — Civil penalty
• § 8101 — Complement of inspected vessels
• § 8102 — Watchmen
• § 8103 — Citizenship or noncitizen nationality and Navy Reserve requirements