(a) The certificate of inspection (COI) issued by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), to a vessel required to be inspected under 46 U.S.C. 3301 specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew necessary for the safe operation of the vessel.

(b) The manning requirements for a particular vessel are determined by the OCMI after consideration of the applicable laws, the regulations in this part, and all other factors involved, such as: emergency situations, size and type of vessel, installed equipment, proposed routes of operation including frequency of port calls, cargo carried, type of service in which employed, degree of automation, use of labor saving devices, and the organizational structure of the vessel.

All requests for changes in manning as indicated on the COI must be sent to—

(a) The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) who last issued the COI; or

(b) The OCMI conducting the inspection, if the request is made in conjunction with an inspection for certification.

Any person directly affected by a decision or action taken under this part, by or on behalf of the Coast Guard, may appeal in accordance with subpart 1.03 of this chapter.

(a) Except as provided by § 15.725 of this part, no vessel may be navigated unless it has in its service and onboard the crew complement required by the COI.

(b) Any time passengers are embarked on a passenger vessel, the vessel must have the crew complement required by the COI, whether the vessel is underway, at anchor, made fast to shore, or aground. However, the master may allow reduced crew for limited or special operating conditions subject to the approval of the OCMI.

(c) No vessel subject to inspection under 46 U.S.C. 3301 will be navigated unless it is under the direction and control of an individual who holds an appropriate license or officer endorsement on his or her MMC.

(a) The requirements in this section for MODUs supplement other requirements in this part.

(b) The OCMI determines the minimum number of officers and crew (including lifeboatmen) required for the safe operation of inspected MODUs. In addition to other factors listed in this part, the specialized nature of the MODU is considered in determining the specific manning levels.

(c) A license or officer endorsement on an MMC as offshore installation manager (OIM), barge supervisor (BS), or ballast control operator (BCO) authorizes service only on MODUs. A license or endorsement as OIM is restricted to the MODU type and mode of operation specified on the credential.

(d) When underway, a self-propelled MODU, other than a drillship, must be under the command of an individual who holds a license as master endorsed as OIM, or an MMC endorsed as master and OIM. When not underway, such a vessel must be under the command of an individual holding the appropriate OIM credential.

(e) A drillship must be under the command of an individual who holds a license or MMC officer endorsement as master. When a drillship is on location, or is maintaining its position with a dynamic positioning system, the individual in command must hold a license as master endorsed as OIM or an MMC with master and OIM officer endorsements.

(f) A non-self-propelled MODU must be under the command of an individual who holds a license or MMC officer endorsement as OIM.

(g) An individual serving as mate on a self-propelled surface unit when underway, other than a drillship, must hold an appropriate license, or an MMC endorsed as mate and BS or BCO. When not underway, such a vessel may substitute an individual holding the appropriate BS or BCO endorsement for the mate, if permitted by the cognizant OCMI.

(h) An individual holding a license or MMC officer endorsement as BS is required on a non-self-propelled surface unit other than a drillship.

(i) An individual holding a license or MMC officer endorsement as BS may serve as BCO.

(j) The OCMI issuing the MODU's COI may authorize the substitution of chief or assistant engineer (MODU) for chief or assistant engineer, respectively, on self-propelled or propulsion-assisted surface units, except drillships. The OCMI may also authorize the substitution of assistant engineer (MODU) for assistant engineer on drillships.

(k) Requirements in this part concerning radar observers do not apply to non-self-propelled MODUs.

(l) A surface MODU underway or on location, when afloat and equipped with a ballast control room, must have that ballast control room manned by an individual holding a license or MMC officer endorsement authorizing service as BCO.

Parts 31 and 35 of this chapter contain additional manning requirements applicable to tank vessels.

(a) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel must ensure that any non-resident alien holding a Coast Guard-issued MMC described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter is provided the rights, protections, and benefits of the International Labor Organization's Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention of 1976.

(b) On U.S. flag large passenger vessels, non-resident aliens holding a Coast Guard-issued MMC described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter—

(1) May only be employed in the steward's department on the vessel(s) specified on the MMC or accompanying Coast Guard letter under § 12.811 of this subchapter;

(2) May only be employed for an aggregate period of 36 months of actual service on all authorized U.S. flag large passenger vessels combined, under § 12.811 of this subchapter;

(3) May not perform watchstanding, engine room duty watch, or vessel navigation functions, under § 12.811 of this subchapter; and

(4) May perform emergency-related duties only if, under § 12.811 of this subchapter—

(i) The emergency-related duties do not require any other rating or endorsement, except lifeboatman as specified in § 12.811 of this subchapter;

(ii) The non-resident alien has completed familiarization and basic training, as required in § 15.1105 of this part;

(iii) The non-resident alien, if serving as a lifeboatman, has the necessary lifeboatman's endorsement; and

(iv) The non-resident alien has completed the training for crewmembers on passenger ships performing duties involving safety or care for passengers, as required in part 12, subpart I of this subchapter.

(c) No more than 25 percent of the total number of ratings on a U.S. flag large passenger vessel may be aliens, whether admitted to the United States for permanent residence or authorized for employment in the United States as non-resident aliens.

(d) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel employing non-resident aliens holding Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter must—

(1) Retain custody of all non-resident alien MMCs for the duration of employment, under § 12.811 of this subchapter; and

(2) Return all non-resident alien MMCs to the Coast Guard upon termination of employment, under § 12.811 of this subchapter.

(e) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel employing non-resident aliens holding Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter is subject to the civil penalty provisions specified in 46 U.S.C. 8103(f), for any violation of this section.

(a) Applicability. Except as provided in this paragraph (a), the requirements in this section apply to a towing vessel subject to subchapter M of this chapter. Vessels subject to this section must also meet the requirements in § 15.515(c). A towing vessel at least 8 meters (26 feet) in length, measured from end to end over the deck (excluding sheer), that is not subject to subchapter M must meet the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section if it is—

(1) A seagoing towing vessel of 300 gross tons or more subject to the provisions of subchapter I of this chapter;

(2) A vessel inspected under other subchapters of this chapter that may perform occasional towing; or

(3) A public vessel as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101.

(b) Towing vessels 8 meters or more in length. Every towing vessel of at least 8 meters (26 feet) in length, measured from end to end over the deck (excluding sheer), must be under the direction and control of a person holding a MMC endorsed as master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels or as master or mate of vessels of greater than 200 gross register tons, holding a completed Towing Officer Assessment Record signed by a designated examiner indicating that the officer is proficient in the operation of towing vessels upon the appropriate route.

(c) Towing Vessels of Any Length on the Lower Mississippi River. In addition to the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, any towing vessel operating in the pilotage waters of the Lower Mississippi River must be under the control of an officer who holds either a first-class pilot's endorsement for that route, or MMC officer endorsement for the Western Rivers, or who meets the requirements of either paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section, as applicable.

(1) Moving tank or hazardous material barges. To operate a towing vessel with tank barges or a tow of barges carrying hazardous material regulated under subchapter N or O of this chapter, the officer in charge of the towing vessel must have completed at least 12 round trips over this route as an observer, with at least 3 of those trips during hours of darkness, and must provide evidence to the Coast Guard upon request that at least 1 of the 12 round trips occurred within the last 5 years.

(2) Moving uninspected barges or no barges. To operate a towing vessel without barges or a tow of uninspected barges, the officer in charge of the towing vessel must have completed at least 4 round trips over this route as an observer, with at least 1 of those trips during hours of darkness, and must provide evidence to the Coast Guard upon request that at least 1 of the 4 round trips occurred within the last 5 years.