46 CFR 137.325: General conduct of towing vessel examinations

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets out how a surveyor conducts an examination of a towing vessel under this subpart. The surveyor must decide whether defects, deterioration, damage or modifications may affect seaworthiness, and the examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable. The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the vessel's condition may create an unsafe condition.

Applies toExaminations of towing vessels required by this subpart, and the owner or managing operator of the vessel.

What it says

  1. The surveyor must determine whether any defect, deterioration, damage, or modifications of the hull and related structure and components may adversely affect the vessel's seaworthiness or fitness or suitability for its route or service.

    46 CFR 137.325(a)“the surveyor must determine whether any defect, deterioration, damage, or modifications of the hull and related structure and components may adversely affect the vessel's seaworthiness or fitness or suitability for its route or service.”

  2. The examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable.

    46 CFR 137.325(b)“The examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable, and must include:”

  3. The examination must include access to internal spaces as appropriate.

    46 CFR 137.325(b)(1)“Access to internal spaces as appropriate;”

  4. The examination must include a visual examination of the vessel's external structure to confirm that the condition is properly maintained.

    46 CFR 137.325(b)(2)“A visual examination of the external structure of the vessel to confirm that the condition is properly maintained; and”

  5. The examination must include a visual examination to confirm that unapproved modifications were not made to the vessel.

    46 CFR 137.325(b)(3)“A visual examination to confirm that unapproved modifications were not made to the vessel.”

  6. The thoroughness and stringency of the examination will depend upon the condition of the vessel.

    46 CFR 137.325(c)“The thoroughness and stringency of the examination will depend upon the condition of the vessel.”

  7. The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the condition of the vessel may create an unsafe condition.

    46 CFR 137.325(d)“The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the condition of the vessel may create an unsafe condition.”

  8. The cognizant OCMI may require the owner or managing operator to provide for a surveyor or auditor from a TPO to attend and assist with verifying the vessel's compliance with the requirements in this subpart.

    46 CFR 137.325(e)“The cognizant OCMI may require the owner or managing operator to provide for the attendance of a surveyor or auditor from a TPO to assist with verifying the vessel's compliance with the requirements in this subpart.”

Common questions

What must a towing vessel examination include?

The examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable. It must include access to internal spaces as appropriate, a visual examination of the external structure, and a visual examination for unapproved modifications.

“The examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable, and must include:”

When must the owner notify the OCMI about a towing vessel's condition?

The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the condition of the vessel may create an unsafe condition.

“The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the condition of the vessel may create an unsafe condition.”

How thorough is a towing vessel hull examination?

The thoroughness and stringency of the examination will depend upon the condition of the vessel.

“The thoroughness and stringency of the examination will depend upon the condition of the vessel.”

Can the OCMI require a TPO surveyor to attend an examination?

Yes. The cognizant OCMI may require the owner or managing operator to provide for a surveyor or auditor from a TPO to attend and assist with verifying compliance with this subpart.

“The cognizant OCMI may require the owner or managing operator to provide for the attendance of a surveyor or auditor from a TPO to assist with verifying the vessel's compliance with the requirements in this subpart.”

The text of 46 CFR 137.325

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

General conduct of examination

(a) When conducting an examination of a towing vessel as required by this subpart, the surveyor must determine whether any defect, deterioration, damage, or modifications of the hull and related structure and components may adversely affect the vessel's seaworthiness or fitness or suitability for its route or service.

(b) The examination must address the items in § 137.330 as applicable, and must include:

(1) Access to internal spaces as appropriate;

(2) A visual examination of the external structure of the vessel to confirm that the condition is properly maintained; and

(3) A visual examination to confirm that unapproved modifications were not made to the vessel.

(c) The thoroughness and stringency of the examination will depend upon the condition of the vessel.

(d) The owner or managing operator must notify the cognizant OCMI when the condition of the vessel may create an unsafe condition.

(e) The cognizant OCMI may require the owner or managing operator to provide for the attendance of a surveyor or auditor from a TPO to assist with verifying the vessel's compliance with the requirements in this subpart.

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.