Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73

§5103 Load line requirements

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Vessels and Seamen › Part Part C— - Load Lines of Vessels › Chapter CHAPTER 51— - LOAD LINES › § 5103

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Vessels may operate only if they have assigned load lines. The owner and other people in charge must mark and keep those load lines permanently and clearly, the way the Secretary requires. Fishing vessels built on or before July 1, 2013, that have a major conversion finished after the later of July 1, 2013, or the date the Secretary sets alternate loadline standards must follow the alternate loadline program the Secretary creates with the commercial fishing industry.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §5103

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A vessel may be operated only if the vessel has been assigned load lines.
(b)The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, and individual in charge of a vessel shall mark and maintain the load lines permanently and conspicuously in the way prescribed by the Secretary.
(c)A fishing vessel built on or before July 1, 2013, that undergoes a major conversion completed after the later of July 1, 2013, or the date the Secretary establishes standards for an alternate loadline compliance program, shall comply with such an alternative loadline compliance program that is developed in cooperation with the commercial fishing industry and prescribed by the Secretary.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section 5103 Source: Section (U.S. Code) 46 App. U.S.C. 86c, 88b. section 5103(a) prohibits a vessel that is subject to load line requirements from operating, unless it has load lines assigned by the Secretary. section 5103(b) requires that load lines be permanently and conspicuously maintained in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2012—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–213 substituted “
July 1, 2013,” for “
July 1, 2012,” in two places and substituted “major conversion” for “substantial change to the dimension of or type of the vessel”. 2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–281 added subsec. (c).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 5103

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73