46 CFR 137.202: Documenting compliance under the TSMS option
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section tells owners or managing operators of towing vessels that choose the TSMS option how to document compliance with this subpart. They must report a survey before the initial COI. For COI re-issuance they must provide objective evidence of an external or internal survey program.
Applies toThe owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that chooses the TSMS option.
What it says
The owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that chooses the TSMS option must document compliance with this subpart as the section describes.
“must document compliance with this subpart as follows”
Before the vessel's initial COI is issued, the owner or managing operator must give the Coast Guard a report of a survey as described in § 137.215.
46 CFR 137.202(a)“Prior to obtaining the vessel's initial COI, the owner or managing operator must provide a report to the Coast Guard of a survey as described in § 137.215”
The survey report must demonstrate that the vessel complies with the requirements of this part.
46 CFR 137.202(a)“that demonstrates that the vessel complies the requirements of this part”
For re-issuance of the vessel's COI, the owner or managing operator must provide objective evidence of an external survey program as described in § 137.205.
46 CFR 137.202(b)(1)“Provide objective evidence of an external survey program as described in § 137.205; or”
Alternatively, for re-issuance of the COI, the owner or managing operator must provide objective evidence of an internal survey program as described in § 137.210.
46 CFR 137.202(b)(2)“Provide objective evidence of an internal survey program as described in § 137.210.”
Common questions
What must I give the Coast Guard before the initial COI under the TSMS option?
The owner or managing operator must provide the Coast Guard a report of a survey as described in § 137.215. The survey must demonstrate that the vessel complies with the requirements of this part.
“Prior to obtaining the vessel's initial COI, the owner or managing operator must provide a report to the Coast Guard of a survey as described in § 137.215”
What evidence is needed to re-issue a COI under the TSMS option?
The owner or managing operator must provide objective evidence of either an external survey program under § 137.205 or an internal survey program under § 137.210.
“For the re-issuance of the vessel's COI, the owner or managing operator must:”
Who must document compliance under this section?
The owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that chooses the TSMS option must document compliance with this subpart.
“The owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that chooses the TSMS option for a towing vessel must document compliance with this subpart as follows:”
The text of 46 CFR 137.202
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Documenting compliance for the TSMS option
The owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that chooses the TSMS option for a towing vessel must document compliance with this subpart as follows:
(a) Prior to obtaining the vessel's initial COI, the owner or managing operator must provide a report to the Coast Guard of a survey as described in § 137.215 that demonstrates that the vessel complies the requirements of this part.
(b) For the re-issuance of the vessel's COI, the owner or managing operator must:
(1) Provide objective evidence of an external survey program as described in § 137.205; or
(2) Provide objective evidence of an internal survey program as described in § 137.210.
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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.