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Title 46 — ShippingRelease 119-73

§12138 List of documented vessels

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Vessels and Seamen › Part Part H— - Identification of Vessels › Chapter CHAPTER 121— - DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - MISCELLANEOUS › § 12138

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must publish a periodic list of all documented vessels and must clearly mark any vessel that is classed by the American Bureau of Shipping. The Secretary of Transportation must keep and update an inventory of documented vessels at least 200 feet long that can lay, maintain, or repair submarine cables. For each vessel the inventory must show its name, size (length, width/beam, and depth) and other ID details, its cable abilities and limits, and a contact name and address. The Secretary of Transportation must publish the updated inventory in the Federal Register every 6 months.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §12138

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall publish periodically a list of all documented vessels and information about those vessels that the Secretary considers pertinent or useful. The list shall contain a notation clearly indicating all vessels classed by the American Bureau of Shipping.
(b)(1)The Secretary of Transportation shall develop, maintain, and periodically update an inventory of vessels that are documented under this chapter, are at least 200 feet in length, and have the capability to lay, maintain, or repair a submarine cable, without regard to whether a particular vessel is classed as a cable ship or cable vessel.
(2)For each vessel listed in the inventory, the Secretary of Transportation shall include in the inventory—
(A)the name, length, beam, depth, and other distinguishing characteristics of the vessel;
(B)the abilities and limitations of the vessel with respect to laying, maintaining, and repairing a submarine cable; and
(C)the name and address of the person to whom inquiries regarding the vessel may be made.
(3)The Secretary of Transportation shall publish in the Federal Register an updated inventory every 6 months.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 12138(a)46:12119. 12138(b)46:12119 note.Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, § 403, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2114. In subsection (b), the word “Secretary” is substituted for “Secretary of Transportation” for consistency in the chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 12138

Title 46 — Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73