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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102

§14306 Reciprocity for Foreign Vessels

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part J — Measurement of Vessels › CHAPTER 143 — CONVENTION MEASUREMENT › § 14306

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must accept a foreign ship’s measurements and its measurement certificate as meeting U.S. measurement rules if the foreign country’s laws and rules are like U.S. rules or if that country is a party to the Convention. If a foreign country does not accept the measurements used in this chapter, that rule does not apply. Then the Secretary may use whatever measurement standards the Secretary thinks are proper, but must follow any international agreements the United States has joined.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §14306

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)When the Secretary finds that the laws and regulations of a foreign country related to measurement of vessels are similar to those of this chapter and the regulations prescribed under this chapter, or when a foreign country is a party to the Convention, the Secretary shall accept the measurement and certificate of a vessel of that foreign country as complying with this chapter and the regulations prescribed under this chapter.
(b)Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a vessel of a foreign country that does not recognize measurements under this chapter. The Secretary may apply measurement standards the Secretary considers appropriate to the vessel, subject to applicable international agreements to which the United States Government is a party.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section 14306 Source: International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships. Section (U.S. Code) 46 App. U.S.C. 81. section 14306(a) requires that the Secretary accept the measurement and certificate of a vessel of a foreign country as evidence of compliance with this chapter when the Secretary finds that the laws and

Regulations

of that foreign country that are related to measurement are similar to those of this chapter, or that that country is a party to the Convention. section 14306(b) provides that the Secretary does not have to accept the measurement and certificate of a vessel of a country that does not recognize United States measurements. It also authorizes the Secretary to apply appropriate measurement standards to such foreign vessels, subject to international agreements to which the United States is a party.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 14306

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102