33 CFR 151.29: Oil pollution plans for foreign ships
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section covers foreign oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above and other foreign ships of 400 gross tons and above. If the ship's country is party to MARPOL 73/78, the ship must carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state. If the country is not a party to MARPOL 73/78, the ship must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States.
Applies toEach oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country other than the United States.
What it says
A ship of the listed sizes, operated under the authority of a country other than the United States that is party to MARPOL 73/78, must carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state.
33 CFR 151.29(a)“carry on board a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state”
The plan requirement for ships of MARPOL 73/78 party countries applies while the ship is in the navigable waters of the United States or at a port or terminal under United States jurisdiction.
33 CFR 151.29(a)“while in the navigable waters of the United States or while at a port or terminal under the jurisdiction of the United States”
A ship of the listed sizes operated under the authority of a country that is not a party to MARPOL 73/78 must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States.
33 CFR 151.29(b)“operated under the authority of a country that is not a party to MARPOL 73/78, must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States”
Common questions
Does a foreign tanker from a MARPOL 73/78 party country need an oil pollution emergency plan in U.S. waters?
Yes. An oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above operated under the authority of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 must carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state while in U.S. navigable waters or at a U.S. port or terminal.
“carry on board a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state”
What applies to ships from countries that are not party to MARPOL 73/78?
Oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above and other ships of 400 gross tons and above from countries that are not party to MARPOL 73/78 must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States.
“must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States”
The text of 33 CFR 151.29
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Foreign ships
(a) Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country other than the United States that is party to MARPOL 73/78, shall, while in the navigable waters of the United States or while at a port or terminal under the jurisdiction of the United States, carry on board a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state.
(b) Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country that is not a party to MARPOL 73/78, must comply with § 151.21 of this subpart while in the navigable waters of the United States.
Sections it refers to
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.