§12107. Great Lakes endorsements

(a) A certificate of documentation may be endorsed with a Great Lakes endorsement for a vessel that-

(1) is eligible for documentation;

(2)(A) was built in the United States; or

(B) if not built in the United States, was captured in war by citizens of the United States and lawfully condemned as prize, was adjudged to be forfeited for a breach of the laws of the United States, or qualified for documentation under section 4136 of the Revised Statutes (46 App. U.S.C. 14); and

(3) otherwise qualifies under the laws of the United States to be employed in the coastwise trade.

(b) Subject to the laws of the United States regulating trade with Canada, only a vessel for which a certificate of documentation with a Great Lakes endorsement is issued may be employed on the Great Lakes and their tributary and connecting waters in trade with Canada.

( Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 587 ; Pub. L. 100–239, §6(a)(4), (5), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1782 ; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, §301(a)(7), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1921 .)

Section 12107 provides that a certificate of documentation in the form of a Great Lakes license or an appropriately endorsed registry may be issued for any vessel that is eligible for documentation, was built in the United States, and qualifies under the laws of the United States to be employed in the coastwise trade. It also provides for the documentation of certain vessels captured in war that have not been built in the United States.

Amendments

1989-Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(7)(D), substituted "endorsements" for "licenses and registry" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(7)(A), which directed amendment of subsec. (a) by substituting "A certificate of documentation may be endorsed with a Great Lakes endorsement" for "A Great Lakes license, or as provided in section 12105(c) of this title, an appropriately endorsed registry, may be issued", was executed by making the substitution for "A Great Lakes license or, as provided in section 12105(c) of this title, an appropriately endorsed registry, may be issued" as the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(7)(B), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "Subject to the laws of the United States regulating the coastwise trade, trade with Canada, and the fisheries, only a vessel for which a Great Lakes license or an appropriately endorsed registry is issued may be employed on the Great Lakes and their tributary and connecting waters in-

"(1) the coastwise trade; and

"(2) trade with Canada."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–225, §301(a)(7)(C), struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: "On application of the owner of a vessel that qualifies for a coastwise license under section 12106 or a fishery license under section 12108 of this title, the Secretary may issue an endorsement authorizing the vessel to be employed in the coastwise trade or the fisheries, as the case may be."

1988-Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 100–239, §6(a)(4), struck out par. (3) which read "the fisheries."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–239, §6(a)(5), added subsec. (c).

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 12101, 12103 of this title; section 316 of Appendix to this title.