§12105. Registry endorsements

(a) A certificate of documentation may be endorsed with a registry endorsement.

(b) A vessel for which a registry endorsement is issued may be employed in foreign trade or trade with Guam, American Samoa, Wake, Midway, or Kingman Reef.

( Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 586 ; Pub. L. 100–710, title I, §104(a)(4), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4750 ; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, §301(a)(5), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1920 .)

Section 12105 authorizes the Secretary to issue a vessel a registry entitling it to be employed in the foreign trade, and to issue special endorsements for the coastwise trade, the Great Lakes trade or the fisheries. It also prohibits foreign built vessels from engaging in United States domestic trades.

Amendments

1989-Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(5)(D), inserted "endorsements" after "Registry" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(5)(A), amended subsec. (a) generally, substituting "certificate of documentation may be endorsed with a registry endorsement" for "registry may be issued for a vessel eligible for documentation".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(5)(B), inserted "endorsement" after "registry".

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(5)(C), struck out subsecs. (c) and (d) which read as follows:

"(c) On application of the owner of a vessel that qualifies for a coastwise license under section 12106 of this title, a Great Lakes license under section 12107 of this title, or a fishery license under section 12108 of this title, the Secretary of Transportation may issue a registry appropriately endorsed authorizing the vessel to be employed in the coastwise trade, the Great Lakes trade, or the fisheries, as the case may be.

"(d) Except as provided in sections 12106–12108 of this title, a foreign built vessel registered under this section may not engage in the coastwise trade, the Great Lakes trade, or the fisheries."

1988-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–710 inserted "of Transportation" after "Secretary".

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–710 effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of Pub. L. 100–710, set out as an Effective Date note under section 30101 of this title.

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 100–239, §6(b), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1782 , provided that: "Notwithstanding the requirements of chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code, a vessel for which a coastwise, Great Lakes, or fishery license, or an appropriately endorsed registry, was issued before July 28, 1987, may continue to be employed in the specified trades for which it was qualified at the time the license or registry was issued for one year from date of enactment [Jan. 11, 1988] or until the certificate of documentation is renewed, whichever comes later. On renewal, the owner or master of a documented vessel shall make the vessel's certificate of documentation available as the law or Secretary may require for replacement with an appropriately endorsed certificate."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 12101, 12103 of this title.