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Title 46

Displaying title 46, up to date as of 8/06/2026. Title 46 was last amended 7/30/2026.
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Documents and Cargo Information

§ 153.900 Certificates and authorization to carry a bulk liquid hazardous material.

(a) Except as allowed in 33 CFR 151.33(a), no ship may carry a cargo of bulk liquid hazardous material or an NLS residue if the bulk liquid hazardous material or NLS is listed in Table 1 or carried under a written permission under paragraph (d) of this section unless the ship meets the following:

(1) The cargo must be carried in a cargo tank.

(2) If a United States ship, the ship must have a Subchapter D or I Certificate of Inspection that is endorsed to allow the cargo tank to carry the cargo.

(3) If a foreign ship, the ship must have a Certificate of Compliance that is endorsed to allow the cargo tank to carry the cargo.

(4) The ship must have an IMO Certificate of Fitness issued under § 153.12 that is endorsed to allow the cargo tank to carry the cargo if it is—

(i) A United States self-propelled ship in foreign waters; or

(ii) A United States non-self-propelled ship in the waters of another Administration signatory to MARPOL 73/78 and the cargo is a Category A, B, or C NLS.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) No ship may carry any bulk liquid cargo not listed in § 30.25-1 of this chapter, Table 151.05 of Part 151 of this chapter, Table 1 or Table 2 of this part, Table 4 of Part 154 of this chapter, 33 CFR 151.47, or 33 CFR 151.49 unless the cargo name is endorsed on the Certificate of Inspection or contained in a letter issued under paragraph (d) of this section.

(d) The Coast Guard at its discretion endorses the Certificate of Inspection with the name of or issues a letter allowing the carriage of an unlisted cargo described under paragraph (c) of this section if—

(1) The shipowner—

(i) Requests the Coast Guard to add the cargo; and

(ii) Supplies any information the Coast Guard needs to develop carriage requirements for the bulk liquid cargo; and

(2) The ship—

(i) Has a Certificate of Inspection, Certificate of Compliance, or IOPP Certificate as specified in this part;

(ii) Meets the design and equipment requirements of this part specified by the Coast Guard; and

(iii) Meets any additional requirements made by the Coast Guard.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7783, Mar. 12, 1987, as amended by CGD 81-101, 53 FR 28975, Aug. 1, 1988 and 54 FR 12629, Mar. 28, 1989]

§ 153.901 Documents: Posting, availability, and alteration.

(a) No person may operate a United States ship unless the endorsed Certificate of Inspection is readily available on the ship.

(b) No person may operate a foreign ship unless the endorsed Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Inspection is readily available on the ship.

(c) No person may operate a ship under an alternative or waiver granted under this part unless the document granting the alternative or waiver is attached to the ship's Certificate of Inspection or Certificate of Compliance.

(d) Except as allowed in paragraph (e) of this section, the Coast Guard does not accept the following if altered:

(1) Certificates of Inspection.

(2) Certificates of Compliance.

(3) Certificates of Fitness, unless the alteration is by the issuing authority.

(4) Approved Procedures and Arrangements Manuals, unless the alteration is approved by the issuing authority.

(5) NLS Certificates.

(e) A person wishing to change a Procedures and Arrangements Manual approved by the Coast Guard must submit a copy to the Coast Guard following the procedures for requesting an endorsed Certificate of Inspection in § 153.8.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7783, Mar. 12, 1987]

§ 153.902 Expiration and invalidation of the Certificate of Compliance.

(a) The Certificate of Compliance shows its expiration date.

(b) The endorsement of a Certificate of Compliance under this part is invalid if the vessel does not have a valid IMO Certificate of Fitness.

(c) The endorsement on a Certificate of Compliance invalidated under paragraph (b) of this section, becomes valid again once the ship has the IMO Certificate of Fitness revalidated or reissued.

Note:

See § 153.809 for procedures for having a Certificate of Compliance reissued.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7784, Mar. 12, 1987; CGD 95-072, 60 FR 50465, Sept. 29, 1995; 60 FR 54106, Oct. 19, 1995; CGD 95-027, 61 FR 26009, May 23, 1996]

§ 153.903 Operating a United States ship in special areas: Categories A, B, and C.

No person may operate a United States ship that carries an NLS or NLS residue in a special area unless—

(a) The ship's Certificate of Inspection is endorsed in accordance with § 153.30; and

(b) The ship meets the operating requirements applying to special areas in Regulations 5, 5A, 8 and the Standards for Procedures and Arrangements of Annex II.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7784, Mar. 12, 1987]

§ 153.904 Limitations in the endorsement.

No person may operate a tankship unless that person complies with all limitations in the endorsement on the tankship's Certificate of Inspection or Certificate of Compliance.

[CGD 81-052, 50 FR 8734, Mar. 5, 1985]

§ 153.905 Regulations required to be on board.

No person may operate a tankship unless the most recent editions of this part, and parts 35 and 150 of this chapter are on board.

[CGD 78-128, 47 FR 21210, May 17, 1982]

§ 153.907 Cargo information.

(a) The master shall ensure that the following information for each cargo carried under this part is readily available to those on the tankship engaged in cargo operations:

(1) The name of the cargo as listed in table 1.

(2) A description of the cargo's appearance and color.

(3) Hazards in handling the cargo.

(4) Any special handling procedures for the cargo, such as inerting.

(5) Procedures to follow if the cargo spills or leaks.

(6) Procedures for treating a person exposed to the cargo.

(7) A list of fire fighting procedures and extinguishing agents effective with cargo fires.

(8) Shipper's name.

(9) Loading point.

(10) Approximate quantity of cargo.

(11) Tank in which the cargo is located.

(12) The name of an agent in the United States authorized to accept service of legal process for the vessel.

(b) The master shall make sure that the following information for cargoes other than those carried under this part is readily available on the tankship:

(1) The name of the cargo as listed in Table 4 of Part 154 of this chapter or § 30.25-1 of this chapter if the cargo is listed in one of these two tables.

(2) The name of the cargo prescribed in the letter authorizing carriage of the cargo under § 153.900(d) if the cargo is a hazardous or flammable cargo authorized for carriage under that section.

(3) The shipper's name for the cargo and the name of the shipper if the cargo is neither a hazardous nor flammable cargo.

[CGD 81-078, 50 FR 21174, May 22, 1985, as amended by CGD 88-100, 54 FR 40042, Sept. 29, 1989]

§ 153.908 Cargo viscosity and melting point information; measuring cargo temperature during discharge: Categories A, B, and C.

(a) The person in charge of the ship may not accept a shipment of a Category A, B, or C NLS cargo having a reference to this paragraph in the “Special Requirements” column of Table 1 unless the person has, from the cargo's manufacturer or the person listed as the shipper on the bill of lading, a written statement of the following:

(1) For Category A or B NLS, the cargo's viscosity at 20 °C in mPa.s and, if the cargo's viscosity exceeds 25 mPa.s at 20 °C, the temperature at which the viscosity is 25 mPa.s.

(2) For Category C NLS, the cargo's viscosity at 20 °C in mPa.s and, if the cargo's viscosity exceeds 60 mPa.s at 20 °C, the temperature at which the viscosity is 60 mPa.s. If the cargo's viscosity varies from shipment to shipment, the maximum viscosity and maximum temperature values may be supplied.

(b) The person in charge of the ship may not accept a shipment of a Category A, B, or C cargo having a reference to this paragraph in the “Special Requirements” column of Table 1 unless the person has a written statement of the cargo's melting point in °C from the cargo's manufacturer or the person listed as the shipper on the bill of lading. If the cargo's melting point varies from shipment to shipment, the highest melting point may be supplied.

(c) The person in charge of the ship shall ensure that the cargo temperature is read and recorded in the Cargo Record Book following the procedures in paragraph (d) of this section when a cargo having a reference to paragraph (a) or (b) of this section in the “Special Requirements” column of Table 1 is unloaded.

(d) The cargo temperature measured in paragraph (c) of this section must be made using the following procedure:

(1) Each reading must be made with the sensor or thermometer required by § 153.440(a)(3) or (c). If a portable thermometer is used, it must be located as prescribed for the temperature sensor in § 153.440(a)(3).

(2) A total of 2 readings must be made, the first reading to be made no more than 30 minutes after cargo transfer begins and the second reading no more than 30 minutes before the main cargo pump is shut down.

(3) The cargo's temperature is the average of the 2 readings made under paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7784, Mar. 12, 1987]

§ 153.909 Completing the Cargo Record Book and record retention: Categories A, B, C, and D.

(a) The person in charge of a ship shall ensure that the Cargo Record Book required under § 153.490 is completed immediately after any of the following occurs:

(1) An NLS cargo is loaded.

(2) An NLS cargo is transferred between tanks on a ship.

(3) An NLS cargo is unloaded from a tank.

(4) A tank that last carried an NLS cargo is prewashed under this part.

(5) A tank that last carried an NLS cargo is washed, except as reported under paragraph (a)(4) of this section, cleaned, or ventilated.

(6) Washings from a tank that last carried an NLS cargo are discharged to the sea.

(7) Tanks that last carried an NLS cargo are ballasted.

(8) Ballast water is discharged to the sea from a cargo tank that last carried an NLS.

(9) An NLS cargo or NLS residue is discharged to the sea by accident or except as allowed by this part.

(10) A Surveyor is present during an operation that this part requires the presence of a Surveyor.

(11) NLS residue or NLS cargo is transferred from cargo pumproom bilges or transferred to an incinerator.

(12) A waiver is issued to the ship, ship owner, ship operator, or person in charge of the ship under this part.

(13) The concentration of a Category A NLS residue is measured under § 153.1120(a).

(14) Any discharge recording equipment required by § 153.481(b)(2) fails.

(b) The person in charge of the ship shall ensure that the Cargo Record Book is on board and readily available for inspection and copying by the Coast Guard and when the ship is a U.S. ship in the waters of a foreign country whose Administration is signatory to MARPOL 73/78, the authorities of that country.

(c) Each officer in charge of an operation listed under paragraph (a) of this section, and each Surveyor observing an operation that this part requires the presence of a Surveyor, shall attest to the accuracy and completeness of each Cargo Record Book entry concerning those operations by signing after each entry.

(d) After all the entries on a page of the Cargo Record Book are completed, and if the person in charge of the ship agrees with the entries, the person in charge of the ship shall sign the bottom of that page.

(e) The ship owner or operator shall ensure that—

(1) Each Cargo Record Book is retained on board the ship for at least 3 years after the last entry; and

(2) Each discharge recording required by § 153.1126(b)(1) is retained on board the ship for at least three years.

[CGD 81-101, 52 FR 7784, Mar. 12, 1987]

§ 153.910 Cargo piping plan.

No person may operate a tankship unless the tankship has a cargo piping plan that:

(a) Shows all cargo piping on the tankship;

(b) Shows all cargo valving, pumps, and other equipment that is used during cargo transfer;

(c) Shows the cargo tanks;

(d) Shows any modifications necessary to a containment system that is to be separated as prescribed under Part 150 of this subchapter, or §§ 153.525 and 153.1020;

(e) Emphasizes the piping and equipment described in paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of this section by using contrasting colors, line widths, or similar methods; and

(f) Shows the cargo loading rates chosen under § 153.365(b) for all applicable cargo lines.

[CGD 73-96, 42 FR 49027, Sept. 26, 1977, as amended by CGD 78-128, 47 FR 21210, May 17, 1982]

§ 153.912 Certificate of inhibition or stabilization.

(a) When a cargo in Table 1 is referred to this section, no person may operate a tankship carrying the cargo without a written certification, carried on the bridge of the tankship, from the shipper that the cargo is:

(1) Inhibited; or

(2) Stabilized.

(b) The certification required by this section must contain the following information:

(1) Whether the cargo is inhibited or stabilized.

(2) The name and concentration of the inhibitor or stabilizer.

(3) The date the inhibitor or stabilizer was added.

(4) The length of time the inhibitor or stabilizer is effective.

(5) Any temperature limitations qualifying the inhibitor's or stabilizer's effective lifetime.

(6) The action to be taken should the duration of the voyage exceed the inhibitor's or stabilizer's useful life.