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Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§1903 Administration and enforcement

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS › § 1903

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run and enforce the MARPOL Protocol, Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol, and the rules in this chapter, unless another part of the chapter says differently. When doing this for MARPOL and this chapter, Annexes I and II of the Convention only apply to seagoing ships. The Administrator must issue Engine International Air Pollution Prevention certificates for U.S. vessels under Annex VI and the NOx Technical Code, and follow any Clean Air Act requirements. The Administrator also manages rules for regulations 12 through 19 of Annex VI and can enforce Annex VI only as set out in section 1907(f). The Secretary and the Administrator must make any rules needed to carry out these obligations and must consult with each other; for regulation 19 they must also consult the Secretary of the Interior. The head of the department that runs the Coast Guard must make rules requiring certain ships (see section 1902(a)(1)) to keep refuse record books, keep shipboard waste plans, and post notices about Annex V and Antarctic Annex IV; that head must also say which ships the rules cover, try to get international agreements to apply the same rules to all vessels under Annex V, and report to Congress within 2 years about those international efforts and, if no agreement was reached, about applying the rules to all vessels in section 1902(a) that call at U.S. ports. No rule about emissions from tank vessels under regulation 15 of Annex VI can take effect until 6 months after the Secretary notifies the International Maritime Organization. The Secretary may also use other federal agencies’ people, facilities, or equipment by agreement, with or without payment, to help carry out these duties.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1903

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, the Secretary shall administer and enforce the MARPOL Protocol, Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol, and this chapter. In the administration and enforcement of the MARPOL Protocol and this chapter, Annexes I and II of the Convention apply only to seagoing ships.
(b)In addition to other duties specified in this chapter, the Administrator and the Secretary, respectively, shall have the following duties and authorities:
(1)The Administrator shall, and no other person may, issue Engine International Air Pollution Prevention certificates in accordance with Annex VI and the International Maritime Organization’s Technical Code on Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides from Marine Diesel Engines, on behalf of the United States for a vessel of the United States as that term is defined in section 116 of title 46. The issuance of Engine International Air Pollution Prevention certificates shall be consistent with any applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.] or regulations prescribed under that Act.
(2)The Administrator shall have authority to administer regulations 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 of Annex VI to the Convention.
(3)The Administrator shall, only as specified in section 1907(f) of this title, have authority to enforce Annex VI of the Convention.
(c)(1)The Secretary shall prescribe any necessary or desired regulations to carry out the provisions of the MARPOL Protocol, Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol, or this chapter.
(2)In addition to the authority the Secretary has to prescribe regulations under this chapter, the Administrator shall also prescribe any necessary or desired regulations to carry out the provisions of regulations 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 of Annex VI to the Convention.
(3)In prescribing any regulations under this section, the Secretary and the Administrator shall consult with each other, and with respect to regulation 19, with the Secretary of the Interior.
(4)The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall—
(A)prescribe regulations which—
(i)require certain ships described in section 1902(a)(1) of this title to maintain refuse record books and shipboard management plans, and to display placards which notify the crew and passengers of the requirements of Annex V to the Convention and of Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol; and
(ii)specify the ships described in section 1902(a)(1) of this title to which the regulations apply;
(B)seek an international agreement or international agreements which apply requirements equivalent to those described in subparagraph (A)(i) to all vessels subject to Annex V to the Convention; and
(C)within 2 years after the effective date of this paragraph, report to the Congress—
(i)regarding activities of the Secretary under subparagraph (B); and
(ii)if the Secretary has not obtained agreements pursuant to subparagraph (B) regarding the desirability of applying the requirements described in subparagraph (A)(i) to all vessels described in section 1902(a) of this title which call at United States ports.
(5)No standard issued by any person or Federal authority, with respect to emissions from tank vessels subject to regulation 15 of Annex VI to the Convention, shall be effective until 6 months after the required notification to the International Maritime Organization by the Secretary.
(d)The Secretary may utilize by agreement, with or without reimbursement, personnel, facilities, or equipment of other Federal departments and agencies in administering the MARPOL Protocol, this chapter, or the regulations thereunder.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Clean Air Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is act July 14, 1955, ch. 360, 69 Stat. 322, which is classified generally to chapter 85 (§ 7401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 7401 of Title 42 and Tables. The

Effective Date

of this paragraph, referred to in subsec. (c)(4)(C), is Dec. 31, 1988, the

Effective Date

of section 2107(b) of Pub. L. 100–220. See

Effective Date

of 1987 Amendment note below.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–280, § 5(1), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–280 redesignated subsec. (b) as (c), added pars. (2), (3), and (5), and redesignated former par. (2) as (4). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–280, § 5(1), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d). 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–227, § 201(c)(1), inserted “, Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol,” after “the MARPOL Protocol” in first sentence. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–227, § 201(c)(2), inserted “, Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol,” after “the MARPOL Protocol”. Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–227, § 201(c)(3), (4), struck out “within 1 year after the

Effective Date

of this paragraph,” before “prescribe” in introductory provisions and inserted “and of Annex IV to the Antarctic Protocol” after “the Convention” in cl. (i). 1987—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–220, § 2107(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Unless otherwise specified herein, the Secretary shall administer and enforce the MARPOL Protocol and this chapter. In the administration and

Enforcement

of the MARPOL Protocol and this chapter, Annexes I and II of the MARPOL Protocol shall be applicable only to seagoing ships.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–220, § 2107(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–220 effective Dec. 31, 1988, the date on which Annex V to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, entered into force for the United States, see section 2002(a) of Pub. L. 100–220, set out as a note under section 1901 of this title.

Effective Date

Subsec. (b) of this section effective Oct. 21, 1980, see section 14(b) of Pub. L. 96–478, set out as a note under section 1901 of this title.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1903

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73