There are certain specific regulations that United States law has in place for the sake of domestic commerce. In the interest of prioritizing American vessel-owners and United States-built vessels, for example, the Maritime Administration has certain protections in place to regulate who has primer access to commerce between domestic ports. It’s because of this that…
Are you filling out your initial Coast Guard documentation and are stumped by section “J,” “Endorsements for Which Application is Made?” Do you feel unsure about which of those is right for your vessel and your needs? “Endorsements” are an important part of your documentation. In a very real way, they let the powers that…
The MARAD waiver is a Maritime Administration mechanism meant for foreign-built vessels. After all, the Jones Act requires that the vessels operating in coastwise commerce be built domestically whenever possible. The MARAD small vessel waiver program recognizes that foreign-built vessels can also contribute to American commerce, which is why it grants waivers to certain vessels…
Are you in the process of completing your Coast Guard boat certification documents and want to make sure that your vessel is in perfect compliance? Do you have a clear idea of how you want to use your vessel, but don’t quite know how to make that work with the powers that be? There are…
Have you recently gone through some kind of life change that you worry could affect your vessel’s position on the USCG boat registry? Do you have this nagging suspicion in the back of your head that there’s something you should do to stay in compliance with the USCG, but aren’t sure what it is? The…
Dealing with Coast Guard boat registration can quickly get fairly stressful, but it doesn’t have to be if you have the proper guidance throughout. Let’s go over what the different processes related to registration can consist of. Ins and Outs of Boat Registration Now, you probably hear the words “boat registration” and you’re already rolling…