46 U.S.C. § 12102

Vessels requiring documentation

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(a)In General.—Except as otherwise provided, a vessel may engage in a trade only if the vessel has been issued a certificate of documentation with an endorsement for that trade under this chapter.(b)Vessels Less Than 5 Net Tons.—A vessel of less than 5 net tons may engage in a trade without being documented if the vessel otherwise satisfies the requirements to engage in the particular trade.(c)Barges.—A barge qualified to engage in the coastwise trade may engage in the coastwise trade, without being documented, on rivers, harbors, lakes (except the Great Lakes), canals, and inland waters.(d)Aquaculture Waiver.—(1)Permitting of nonqualified vessels to perform certain aquaculture support operations.—Notwithstanding section 12113 and any other law, the Secretary of Transportation may issue a waiver allowing a documented vessel with a registry endorsement or a foreign flag vessel to be used in operations that treat aquaculture fish for or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic infestation, or other threats to their health if the Secretary finds, after publishing a notice in the Federal Register, that a suitable vessel of the United States is not available that could perform those services.(2)Prohibition.—Vessels operating under a waiver issued under this subsection may not engage in any coastwise transportation.(Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1492; Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 901(c)(1), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3008.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
12102(a)	46:12106(b).
	46:12108(b).
	46:12110(a).
12102(b)	46:12102(a) (related to tonnage).
12102(c)	46:12110(b).

Editorial NotesPrior Provisions

A prior section 12102, Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 585; Pub. L. 99–509, title V, § 5102(b)(6), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1927; Pub. L. 100–239, § 7(a), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1782; Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 104(a)(4), (5), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4750; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, § 301(a)(2), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1920; Pub. L. 104–324, title XI, § 1136(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3986; Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title II, § 202(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–617; Pub. L. 105–383, title IV, §§ 401(a)(1), 421, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3424, 3439; Pub. L. 107–20, title II, § 2202(a), July 24, 2001, 115 Stat. 168; Pub. L. 107–206, title I, § 1103, Aug. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 884; Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXV, § 3534(b)(1), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1818, originally derived from section 65b of former Title 46, Shipping, related to vessels eligible for documentation, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See this section and sections 12103, 12111, and 12113 of this title.

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–281 added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesRegulations

Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 901(c)(2), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3008, provided that: “The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, and after public notice and comment, promulgate regulations necessary and appropriate to implement this subsection [amending this section]. The Secretary may grant interim permits pending the issuance of such regulations upon receipt of applications containing the required information.”

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 18 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1984–2022 · leading case: United States v. Reyes-Valdivia, 23 F.4th 153 (1st Cir. 2022).

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United States v. Reyes-Valdivia, 23 F.4th 153 (1st Cir. 2022). “See 46 U.S.C. § 12102 (b) (providing that "[a] vessel of less than 5 net tons may engage in a trade without being 55As we recognized in Aybar-Ulloa, it is important that some country exercise jurisdiction over a vessel.”

State of Alaska, Dep't of Revenue v. North Pac. Fishing, Inc. & U.S. Fishing LLC., 485 P.3d 1040 (Alaska 2021). · cites it 2× “[3] Because North Pacific catches and processes its fish outside of Alaska waters it is not subject to the state’s “fisheries business tax” on catching or processing fish within 2 See 46 U.S.C. §§ 12102 , 12103, 12112 (excluding foreign-flagged ships from eligibility for…”

U.S. Ship Mgmt., Inc. v. Maersk Line, Ltd., 357 F. Supp. 2d 924 (E.D. Va. 2005). “See 46 U.S.C. § 12102 . 2 . MLL already operated four other MSP-enrolled ships as a documentation citizen.”

In Re Hawaiian & Guamanian Cabotage Antitrust Litig., 647 F. Supp. 2d 1250 (W.D. Wash. 2009). “1998); see also 46 U.S.C. §§ 12102 , 12103, 12111, & 12112.”

Am. Trading Transp. Co., Inc. v. United States of Am., 841 F.2d 421 (D.C. Cir. 1988). “46 U.S.C. §§ 12102 , 7102 (Supp.III 1985).”

In Re Hawaiian & Guamanian Cabotage Antitrust Litig., 754 F. Supp. 2d 1239 (W.D. Wash. 2010). “1998); see 46 U.S.C. §§ 12102 , 12103, 12111, & 12112.”

Cruz v. Chesapeake Shipping Inc., 738 F. Supp. 809 (D. Del. 1990). “See 46 U.S.C. § 12102 (requiring, in pertinent part, American flagged vessels to be owned by a United States corporation whose Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors are American citizens, and requiring that a majority of the voting power be vested in…”

Se. Shipyard Ass'n v. United States, 979 F.2d 1541 (D.C. Cir. 1992). · cites it 7× “” 46 U.S.C. § 12102 (c)(1). A savings clause in the Anti-Reflagging Act, the meaning of which is in dispute, ameliorated the impact of the citizen control requirement just quoted.”

Cruz v. Chesapeake Shipping Inc., 932 F.2d 218 (3rd Cir. 1991). “46 U.S.C. § 12102 . Upon reflagging, the law required that ownership of the vessels be transferred to a United States entity.”

Young v. Coloma-Agaran, 340 F.3d 1053 (9th Cir. 2003). “See 46 U.S.C. § 12102 . A vessel must have a coasting license to be employed in the coastwise trade.”

Keeling v. Ozey (In Re Ozey), 172 B.R. 83 (Bankr. N.D. Okla 1994). · cites it 2× “46 U.S.C. § 12102 (1992); 46 C.F.R. §§ 67.”

State v. Sterkel, 933 P.2d 409 (Utah Ct. App. 1997). “" 46 U.S.C.A. § 12102 (a) (West Supp.1995).”

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