33 CFR 151.1516: Ballast water compliance monitoring information and sampling

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section requires the master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks to give the Captain of the Port written information about the vessel and its ballast water. It also lets the COTP take ballast water samples to assess compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.

Applies toThe master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks.

What it says

  1. The master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks must give the Captain of the Port (COTP) the listed information in written form.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)“The master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks must provide the following information, in written form, to the Captain of the Port (COTP):”

  2. The master must give the vessel's name, port of registry, and official number or call sign.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)(1)“The vessel's name, port of registry, and official number or call sign.”

  3. The master must report whether ballast water is being carried.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)(3)“Whether ballast water is being carried.”

  4. The master must give the location, date, and time of any ballast water exchange.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)(5)“The location, date, and time of any ballast water exchange.”

  5. The master must give the salinity of any ballast water to be discharged into the territorial waters of the United States.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)(6)“The salinity of any ballast water to be discharged into the territorial waters of the United States.”

  6. The master must sign to attest that the information is accurate and to certify compliance with the requirements of this subpart.

    33 CFR 151.1516(a)(8)“The signature of the master attesting to the accuracy of the information provided and certifying compliance with the requirements of this subpart.”

  7. The COTP may take samples of ballast water to assess compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.

    33 CFR 151.1516(b)“The COTP may take samples of ballast water to assess the compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.”

Common questions

Who must give ballast water information to the Captain of the Port?

The master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks must give the information in written form to the COTP.

“The master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks must provide the following information, in written form, to the Captain of the Port (COTP):”

Can the COTP sample my vessel's ballast water?

Yes. The COTP may take samples of ballast water to assess compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.

“The COTP may take samples of ballast water to assess the compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.”

What must the master certify on the ballast water report?

The master must sign to attest that the information is accurate and to certify compliance with the requirements of this subpart.

“The signature of the master attesting to the accuracy of the information provided and certifying compliance with the requirements of this subpart.”

The text of 33 CFR 151.1516

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Compliance monitoring

(a) The master of each vessel equipped with ballast tanks must provide the following information, in written form, to the Captain of the Port (COTP):

(1) The vessel's name, port of registry, and official number or call sign.

(2) The name of the vessel's owner(s).

(3) Whether ballast water is being carried.

(4) The original location and salinity, if known, of ballast water taken on, before an exchange.

(5) The location, date, and time of any ballast water exchange.

(6) The salinity of any ballast water to be discharged into the territorial waters of the United States.

(7) The intended discharge port for ballast water and location for disposal of sediment carried upon entry into the territorial waters of the United States, if ballast water or sediment are to be discharged.

(8) The signature of the master attesting to the accuracy of the information provided and certifying compliance with the requirements of this subpart.

(b) The COTP may take samples of ballast water to assess the compliance with, and the effectiveness of, this subpart.

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.