
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 46USC3307]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
              Part B--Inspection and Regulation of Vessels
 
                    CHAPTER 33--INSPECTION GENERALLY
 
Sec. 3307. Frequency of inspection

    Each vessel subject to inspection under this part shall undergo an 
initial inspection for certification before being put into service. 
After being put into service--
        (1) each passenger vessel, nautical school vessel, and small 
    passenger vessel allowed to carry more than 12 passengers on a 
    foreign voyage shall be inspected at least once a year; and
        (2) any other vessel shall be inspected at least once every 5 
    years.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 514; Pub. L. 104-324, title VI, 
Sec. 605(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3931.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3307(1)...........................  46:391(c)
                                    46:1295f(c)
3307(2)...........................  46:390a(a)
                                    46:404-1(6)(i)
3307(3)...........................  46:391(b)
                                    46:392(b)
                                    46:404-1(6)(ii)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 3307 requires each vessel subject to inspection to undergo 
an initial inspection prior to being placed in service. This is normally 
started during the construction or reconstruction phase and is a 
continuing process until final certification for operation in a 
particular trade. Subsequent periodic inspections are also required for 
various types of vessels. It is to be noted that a freight vessel of 
less than 100 gross tons shall be inspected at 3 year intervals while 
the larger freight vessel has a 2 year inspection period. This is being 
done to retain the existing procedure of issuing 3 year certificates of 
inspection to smaller vessels, however, this does not prevent periodic 
inspections or examinations at intervening periods.


                               Amendments

    1996--Par. (1). Pub. L. 104-324, Sec. 605(a)(1), substituted ``, 
nautical school vessel, and small passenger vessel allowed to carry more 
than 12 passengers on a foreign voyage'' for ``and nautical school 
vessel'' and inserted ``and'' at end.
    Pars. (2), (3). Pub. L. 104-324, Sec. 605(a)(2), (3), redesignated 
par. (3) as (2), substituted ``5 years'' for ``2 years'', and struck out 
former par. (2) which read as follows: ``each small passenger vessel, 
freight vessel or offshore supply vessel of less than 100 gross tons, 
and sailing school vessel shall be inspected at least once every 3 
years; and''.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 3308, 3309 of this title.
