33 CFR 155.5025: One-time port waiver for nontank vessels

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers the one-time port waiver. The owner or operator must certify in writing, before entering the COTP zone, that required conditions are met. The COTP may then authorize one voyage, and later voyages must meet all requirements of this subpart.

Applies toVessel owners and operators seeking a one-time port waiver for a nontank vessel in a geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan.

What it says

  1. A vessel owner or operator seeking a one-time port waiver must certify in writing, or with electronic signatures acceptable to the Coast Guard, before the vessel enters the Captain of the Port (COTP) zone.

    33 CFR 155.5025(a)“they must certify in writing or using electronic signatures acceptable to the Coast Guard, prior to the vessel's entry into the Captain of the Port (COTP) zone”

  2. The certification must state that the owner or operator has met the requirements of 33 CFR 155.1025(e)(1) through (3).

    33 CFR 155.5025(a)(1)“33 CFR 155.1025(e)(1) through (3); and”

  3. The certification must also cover private response resources: the owner or operator has identified them and ensured their availability, through contract or other approved means, to respond to the maximum extent practicable under the criteria in § 155.5050 to a worst case discharge or substantial threat of discharge in the applicable COTP zone.

    33 CFR 155.5025(a)(2)“has identified and ensured the availability of, through contract or other approved means, the private response resources necessary to respond”

  4. Once the owner or operator satisfies paragraph (a), the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard COTP may grant written authorization for the nontank vessel to make one voyage in the geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan.

    33 CFR 155.5025(b)“may grant written authorization for that nontank vessel to make one voyage in the respective geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan”

  5. A nontank vessel that received a one-time port waiver must meet all requirements of this subpart for any later voyage to the same geographic-specific area.

    33 CFR 155.5025(c)“All requirements of this subpart must be met by a nontank vessel that received a one-time port waiver”

Common questions

When must I certify for a one-time port waiver?

The owner or operator must certify before the vessel enters the COTP zone. The certification must be in writing or use electronic signatures acceptable to the Coast Guard.

“they must certify in writing or using electronic signatures acceptable to the Coast Guard, prior to the vessel's entry into the Captain of the Port (COTP) zone”

How many voyages does a one-time port waiver cover?

The COTP may authorize one voyage in the geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan.

“may grant written authorization for that nontank vessel to make one voyage in the respective geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan”

What applies to later voyages after a one-time port waiver?

For any later voyage to the same geographic-specific area, the nontank vessel must meet all requirements of this subpart.

“All requirements of this subpart must be met by a nontank vessel that received a one-time port waiver, for any subsequent voyage to the same geographic-specific area.”

The text of 33 CFR 155.5025

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

One-time port waiver

(a) If the vessel owner or operator seeks a one-time port waiver, they must certify in writing or using electronic signatures acceptable to the Coast Guard, prior to the vessel's entry into the Captain of the Port (COTP) zone, that they have met the requirements of—

(1) 33 CFR 155.1025(e)(1) through (3); and

(2) The vessel owner or operator has identified and ensured the availability of, through contract or other approved means, the private response resources necessary to respond, to the maximum extent practicable under the criteria in § 155.5050 to a worst case discharge or substantial threat of discharge from the vessel in the applicable COTP zone.

(b) Once the vessel owner or operator satisfies the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard COTP may grant written authorization for that nontank vessel to make one voyage in the respective geographic-specific area not covered by the vessel response plan.

(c) All requirements of this subpart must be met by a nontank vessel that received a one-time port waiver, for any subsequent voyage to the same geographic-specific area.

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.