§3205 Certification

Summary

If the person in charge of a vessel and the vessel meet the chapter’s rules, the Secretary must give the vessel a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance when the responsible person asks. The responsible person must keep those documents as the Secretary requires. The Secretary must check from time to time, or when audits or other information (including under section 10104(e)) show problems, whether an approved safety plan and each covered vessel follow that plan. If the Secretary finds a failure to follow the plan, the Secretary must revoke the plan approval and any related certificates or documents for those vessels. At the Secretary’s request, the Secretary of Homeland Security must withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 60105 for a vessel under section 3202(a) or the International Safety Management Code if the ship does not have the Safety Management Certificate and a copy of the Document of Compliance on board. Clearance may be granted if a bond or other surety acceptable to the Secretary is filed.