Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73

§5109 Reciprocity for foreign vessels

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Vessels and Seamen › Part Part C— - Load Lines of Vessels › Chapter CHAPTER 51— - LOAD LINES › § 5109

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When the Secretary finds a foreign country’s load-line rules are like U.S. rules, or when that country is in an international load-line agreement the United States joined, the Secretary must accept a foreign ship’s load-line marks and its load-line certificate as meeting U.S. load-line rules. The Secretary may also control the ship in the ways the international agreement allows. This acceptance does not apply to a ship from a country that does not recognize load lines set under this law.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §5109

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(a)When the Secretary finds that the laws and regulations of a foreign country related to load lines are similar to those of this chapter and the regulations prescribed under this chapter, or when a foreign country is a party to an international load line agreement to which the United States Government is a party, the Secretary shall accept the load line marks and certificate of a vessel of that foreign country as complying with this chapter and the regulations prescribed under this chapter. The Secretary may control the vessel as provided for in the applicable international agreement.
(b)Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a vessel of a foreign country that does not recognize load lines assigned under this chapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section 5109 Source: Section (U.S. Code) 46 App. U.S.C. 86f, 88d. section 5109(a) requires the Secretary to accept the load line mark and load line certificate of a vessel of a foreign country if the Secretary finds that the load line laws and

Regulations

of that country are similar to those of this chapter, or if that country is a party to an international load line agreement to which the United States is a party.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 5109

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73