46 CFR 137.315: Internal survey program under TSMS option

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers towing vessels that use the TSMS option and demonstrate compliance through an internal survey program. The owner or managing operator must ensure the TSMS includes the listed program elements. The operator must also notify the TPO and the cognizant OCMI before drydocking or internal structural examination activities begin.

Applies toThe owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that has selected the TSMS option and chosen to demonstrate compliance with this subpart through an internal survey program.

What it says

  1. The owner or managing operator must ensure the TSMS includes a survey program that meets the requirements in § 137.325.

    46 CFR 137.315(a)(1)“A survey program that meets the requirements contained in § 137.325;”

  2. The TSMS must include qualifications for personnel authorized to carry out a survey program that are comparable to the requirements of a surveyor from a TPO as described in § 139.130 of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 137.315(a)(2)“Qualifications of the personnel authorized to carry out a survey program that are comparable to the requirements of a surveyor from a TPO as described in § 139.130 of this subchapter;”

  3. The TSMS must include procedures for documenting and reporting non-conformities and deficiencies.

    46 CFR 137.315(a)(3)“Procedures for documenting and reporting non-conformities and deficiencies;”

  4. The TSMS must identify a responsible person in management who can stop all vessel operations pending corrections, oversee vessel compliance activities, and track and verify corrections of non-conformities and deficiencies.

    46 CFR 137.315(a)(5)“The identification of a responsible person in management who has the authority to stop all vessel operations pending corrections, to oversee vessel compliance activities, and to track and verify the corrections of non-conformities and deficiencies; and”

  5. The owner or managing operator must notify the TPO responsible for auditing the TSMS before starting activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations.

    46 CFR 137.315(b)“must notify the TPO responsible for auditing the TSMS whenever activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.”

  6. The interval between examinations of each item may not exceed the applicable interval described in § 137.300.

    46 CFR 137.315(c)“The interval between examinations of each item may not exceed the applicable interval described in § 137.300.”

  7. The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI of the zone where credit drydocking or internal structural examination activities will be carried out, before commencing the activities.

    46 CFR 137.315(d)“must notify the cognizant OCMI of the zone within which activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.”

Common questions

Who must notify the TPO before a credit drydocking or internal structural examination?

The owner or managing operator must notify the TPO responsible for auditing the TSMS. The notice must come before the activities begin.

“must notify the TPO responsible for auditing the TSMS whenever activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.”

Do I have to notify the OCMI about internal structural examinations?

Yes. The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI of the zone where the activities will be carried out, before commencing them.

“must notify the cognizant OCMI of the zone within which activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.”

How long can the interval between examinations be under an internal survey program?

The interval between examinations of each item may not exceed the applicable interval described in § 137.300.

“The interval between examinations of each item may not exceed the applicable interval described in § 137.300.”

The text of 46 CFR 137.315

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

Internal survey program

(a) The owner or managing operator of a towing vessel that has selected the TSMS option and who has chosen to demonstrate vessel compliance with this subpart through an internal survey program must ensure that the TSMS applicable to the vessel includes:

(1) A survey program that meets the requirements contained in § 137.325;

(2) Qualifications of the personnel authorized to carry out a survey program that are comparable to the requirements of a surveyor from a TPO as described in § 139.130 of this subchapter;

(3) Procedures for documenting and reporting non-conformities and deficiencies;

(4) Procedures for reporting and correcting major non-conformities;

(5) The identification of a responsible person in management who has the authority to stop all vessel operations pending corrections, to oversee vessel compliance activities, and to track and verify the corrections of non-conformities and deficiencies; and

(6) Objective evidence that supports the completion of all elements of a vessel's drydock and internal structural examinations.

(b) The owner or managing operator must notify the TPO responsible for auditing the TSMS whenever activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.

(c) The interval between examinations of each item may not exceed the applicable interval described in § 137.300.

(d) The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI of the zone within which activities related to credit drydocking or internal structural examinations are to be carried out prior to commencing the activities.

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.