Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 87.djvu/451

 87 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 93-115-OCT. 1, 1973

(b) Leadlines shall be permanently and conspicuously marked and maintained in the manner prescribed by the Secretary. Upon completion of survey requirements and a finding that the loadline is positioned and marked in the manner prescribed, the Secretary shall issue a loadline certificate, to the master or owner of the vessel, which shall be carried on board the vessel. (c) A loadline shall not be established or marked which, in the judgment of the Secretary, authorizes less than the minimum safe freeboard. At the request of the owner a loadline may be established or marked to indicate a greater freeboard than that which the Secretary determines is the minimum safe freeboard; any such loadline shall be the prescribed loadline for purposes of section 9. APPOINTMENT OF SURVEYORS; REVOCATION

SEC. 6. (a) The Secretary shall appoint the American Bureau of Shipping, or such other United States nonprofit corporations or associations for the survey or registry of shipping which he approves, to determine that a vessel's condition is satisfactory and whetner its loadline is positioned and marked in the manner prescribed by the Secretary and thereupon to issue a loadline certificate. (b) The Secretary may appoint for the purpose of this section: (1) any officer of the United States, or (,2) at the request of a shipowner, any other corporation or association for the survey or registry of shipping which he approves. (c) The Secretary may revoke an appointment under this section at any time. EXEMPTIONS

SEC. 7. When a vessel subject to this Act is shown to be entitled to an exemption from the provisions of this Act by an international agreement to which the United States has acceded, a certificate of exemption shall be issued to the vessel, and carried in lieu of the certificate required by section 5 of this Act. RECOGNITION; NONAPPLICABILITY

SEC. 8. (a) When it is found that the law and regulations in force in a foreign country relating to loadlines are equally effective as this Act and the regulations hereunder, or when a foreign country has acceded to an international loadline agreement to which the United States has acceded, the markings and certificate thereof of a vessel of the country shall be accepted as complying with the provisions of this Act and regulations hereunder. The control of such vessels shall be as provided in the applicable international agreement. (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to vessels of foreign nations which do not similarly recognize the loadlines prescribed under this Act. LOADING RESTRICTIONS; RECORDATION

SEC. 9. (a) No vessel subject to this Act may be so loaded as to submerge the prescribed loadline, or to submerge the point where an appropriate loadline under the Act and the prescribed regulations should be marked.

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