Application

a vessel of the United States. a vessel on the navigable waters of the United States. owned by a citizen of the United States or a corporation established by or under the laws of the United States or a State; and not registered in a foreign country. a public vessel of the United States. a vessel otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. a vessel of war. a recreational vessel when operated only for pleasure. a fishing vessel, unless the vessel is built after July 1, 2013. was constructed as a fish processing vessel before August 16, 1974; or was converted for use as a fish processing vessel before January 1, 1983; and is not on a foreign voyage. was constructed, under construction, or under contract to be constructed as a fish tender vessel before January 1, 1980; or was converted for use as a fish tender vessel before January 1, 1983; and is not on a foreign voyage; or is not engaged in the Aleutian trade (except a vessel in that trade assigned a load line at any time before June 1, 1992). a vessel of the United States on a domestic voyage that does not cross the Boundary Line, except a voyage on the Great Lakes. a vessel of less than 24 meters (79 feet) overall in length. a public vessel of the United States on a domestic voyage. a vessel excluded from the application of this chapter by an international agreement to which the United States Government is a party. an existing vessel of not more than 150 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title that is on a domestic voyage. a small passenger vessel on a domestic voyage. a vessel of the working fleet of the Panama Canal Commission not on a foreign voyage. a vessel of the United States on a domestic voyage that is within the Gulf of Mexico and operating not more than 15 nautical miles seaward of the base line from which the territorial sea of the United States is measured between Crystal Bay, Florida and Hudson Creek, Florida. 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. 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. Except as provided in subsection (c), a fish tender vessel that before January 1, 2003, transported cargo (not including fishery related products) in the Aleutian trade is subject to chapter 51 of title 46, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a) of this section [amending this section]). Before December 31, 2006, the BOWFIN (United States official number 604231) is exempt from chapter 51 of title 46, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a) of this section) when engaged in the Aleutian trade, if the vessel does not undergo a major conversion. Before the date referred to in paragraph (1), a Coast Guard official who has reason to believe that the vessel referred to in paragraph (1) operating under this subsection is in a condition or is operated in a manner that creates an immediate threat to life or the environment or is operated in a manner that is inconsistent with section 3302 of title 46, United States Code, may direct the master or individual in charge to take immediate and reasonable steps to safeguard life and the environment, including directing the vessel to a port or other refuge.” Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this chapter applies to the following: a vessel— This chapter does not apply to the following: a fish processing vessel of not more than 5,000 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title that— a fish tender vessel of not more than 500 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title that— (Source: (Pub. L. 99–509, title V, § 5101(2), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1914; Pub. L. 101–595, title VI, § 602(d), Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 2991; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 719, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3938; Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, § 436(a), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2129; Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, § 604(d)(1), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2965; Pub. L. 112–213, title III, § 305(d)(1), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1565; Pub. L. 114–120, title VI, § 612, Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 85.))