§3203. Safety management system

(a) In General.-The Secretary shall prescribe regulations which establish a safety management system for responsible persons and vessels to which this chapter applies, including-

(1) a safety and environmental protection policy;

(2) instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of those vessels and protection of the environment in compliance with international and United States law;

(3) defined levels of authority and lines of communications between, and among, personnel on shore and on the vessel;

(4) procedures for reporting accidents and nonconformities with this chapter;

(5) procedures for preparing for and responding to emergency situations; and

(6) procedures for internal audits and management reviews of the system.

(b) Compliance With Code.-Regulations prescribed under this section shall be consistent with the International Safety Management Code with respect to vessels to which this chapter applies under section 3202(a) of this title.

(c) In prescribing regulations for passenger vessels and small passenger vessels, the Secretary shall consider-

(1) the characteristics, methods of operation, and nature of the service of these vessels; and

(2) with respect to vessels that are ferries, the sizes of the ferry systems within which the vessels operate.

(Added Pub. L. 104–324, title VI, §602(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3928 ; amended Pub. L. 108–293, title IV, §405(b), Aug. 9, 2004, 118 Stat. 1043 ; Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, §610(b), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2969 .)

Amendments

2010-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–281 added subsec. (c).

2004-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–293 substituted "vessels to which this chapter applies under section 3202(a) of this title" for "vessels engaged on a foreign voyage".