[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR971.205]

[Page 343]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 971--DEEP SEABED MINING REGULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL RECOVERY PERMITS--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart B--Applications
 
Sec. 971.205  Vessel safety and documentation.

    In order to provide a basis for the necessary determinations with 
respect to the safety of life and property at sea, pursuant to 
Sec. 971.407, Sec. 971.422 and Subpart G of this part, the application 
must contain the following information for vessels used in commercial 
recovery, except for those vessels under 300 gross tons which are 
engaged in oceanographic research:
    (a) U.S. flag vessel. All mining ships and at least one of the 
transport ships used by each permittee must be documented under the laws 
of the United States. To the extent that the applicant knows which 
United States flag vessels it will use, it must include with its 
application copies of the vessels' current valid Coast Guard 
Certificates of Inspection.
    (b) Foreign flag vessels. To the extent that the applicant knows 
which foreign flag vessel(s) it will be using for other purposes, the 
application must include evidence of the following:
    (1) That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is party to the 
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 74) 
possesses current valid SOLAS 74 certificates;
    (2) That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is not party to 
SOLAS 74 but is party to the International Convention for the Safety of 
Life at Sea, 1960 (SOLAS 60) possesses current valid SOLAS 60 
certificates; and
    (3) That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is not a party to 
either SOLAS 74 or SOLAS 60 meets all applicable structural and safety 
requirements contained in the published rules of a member of the 
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
    (c) Supplemental certificates. If the applicant does not know at the 
time of submitting an application which vessels it will be using, it 
must submit the applicable certification for each vessel before the 
cruise on which it will be used.