A vessel may be operated only if the vessel has been assigned load lines.
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.
A fishing vessel built on or before , that undergoes a major conversion completed after the later of , or the date the Secretary establishes standards for an alternate loadline compliance program, shall comply with such an alternative loadline compliance program that is developed in cooperation with the commercial fishing industry and prescribed by the Secretary.
Pub. L. 99–509, title V, § 5101(2)100 Stat. 1915 Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, § 604(d)(2)124 Stat. 2965 Pub. L. 112–213, title III, § 305(d)(2)126 Stat. 1565 (, , ; , , ; , , .)
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section 5103
Source: Section (U.S. Code) 46 App. U.S.C. 86c, 88b.
Section 5103(a) prohibits a vessel that is subject to load line requirements from operating, unless it has load lines assigned by the Secretary.
Section 5103(b) requires that load lines be permanently and conspicuously maintained in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
Pub. L. 112–2132012—Subsec. (c). substituted “,” for “,” in two places and substituted “major conversion” for “substantial change to the dimension of or type of the vessel”.
Pub. L. 111–2812010—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).