Appropriations Lapse Halts USCG Certification Renewal

Due to the Federal Government’s lapse in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2014, the Coast Guard is unable to process commercial vessel Certificates of Documentation (COD) to ensure that all commercial vessels receive their renewed CODs before their current documentation expires.
 

 

The vessels most likely impacted by this situation are those commercial vessels with CODs which expire between October 1, 2013 and November 30, 2013. For commercial vessels engaged in domestic voyages between ports in the United States or its possessions, the  Coast Guard will continue to allow these vessels to operate with an expired COD provided they are otherwise in compliance with all other requirements for their operations. However, vessel owners should submit a renewal  application to the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) as appropriate  using  normal submittal procedures. These applications will be processed as soon as possible when the lapse in appropriations ends.

Recreational vessel user fee funding has not been affected; therefore,  recreational vessel applications will continue to be processed. Commercial vessels that  are destined for, or operating from, places outside the United States are strongly advised  to verify that the vessel’s COD will remain valid for the full duration of the voyage.  Commercial vessels that  arrive in foreign ports with an expired or an invalid COD may be subject to denial of entry or detention by local  port state authorities. As noted above, commercial  vessel owners or operators should make application for  renewal or reissuance of the COD in accordance with normal  submittal  procedures.  Additionally, if a vessel is currently, or will be on an international voyage between now and December 1, 2013, please contact the Coast  Guard at the below number.

 

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