Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102
§10103 Reports
Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part G — Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief › CHAPTER 101 — GENERAL › § 10103
Summary
A vessel master must report when they hire or dismiss a seaman to the vessel owner, using the form and filing method the rules require. The rule doesn't apply to certain local ferries and towboats.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §10103
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)A master of a vessel to which section 8701(a) of this title applies, who engages or discharges a seaman, shall submit reports to the vessel owner in the form, content, and manner of filing as prescribed by regulation, to ensure compliance with laws related to manning and the engagement and discharge of seamen.
(b)This section does not apply to a ferry or towing vessel operated in connection with a ferry operation, employed only in trades other than with foreign ports, lakes, bays, sounds, bayous, canals, or harbors.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 1010346:643(l) section 10103 requires that masters who engage or discharge seamen submit to the Coast Guard reports of the manning of the vessel, and reports of shipping agreements which are not supervised by a shipping commissioner. It also contains a number of exceptions for specified vessels.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–206 struck out “without a shipping commissioner being present” after “discharges a seaman” and inserted “to the vessel owner” after “shall submit reports”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 10103
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102