Vessel documentation is a national form of registration for vessels. The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC), a division of the United States Coast Guard, manages vessel registration and will issue a vessel certification number to each eligible vessel owner who completes the application process. The Purpose & Significance of Vessel Registration Registering vessels was actually one of the first functions our government performed, dating all the way back to the 11th Act of the First...

Pursuant to 46 CFR 4.05-1, federal regulations mandate that the owner, operator or person in charge of a vessel must notify the Coast Guard of any marine casualties immediately after addressing pressing safety concerns. What constitutes as a reportable marine casualty? All marine causalities must be reported to the nearest Coast Guard Sector office as soon as possible. The USCG defines a reportable marine casualty as any of the following: unintended grounding; unintended colliding with a...

As a ship owner, you are well aware that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) implements hundreds of regulations that ship owners are expected to follow. If you operate a specialized vessel, the requirements can get even more complicated. You will be expected to follow a plethora of mandates, including rules for issues such as ship design, purpose, safety procedures and logging requirements. What is a specialized ship? Specialized vessels have unique purposes, components and needs. The USCG...