46 CFR 14.313: Storage of shipping articles and discharge certificates
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section sets how shipping companies store shipping articles and certificates of discharge. Companies keep them for 3 years, then send the original articles for storage. Companies must also give copies to mariners and the Coast Guard on request.
Applies toIt applies to each shipping company, and the Coast Guard has duties for certificate copies submitted manually.
What it says
Each shipping company must keep all original shipping articles and copies of all certificates of discharge for 3 years.
46 CFR 14.313(a)“Each shipping company must keep all original shipping articles and copies of all certificates of discharge for 3 years.”
After 3 years, shipping companies must prepare the original shipping articles in alphabetical order by vessel name and send them to the address in § 14.103(a) for storage at the Federal Records Center at Suitland, Maryland.
46 CFR 14.313(a)“After 3 years the shipping companies must prepare the original shipping articles in alphabetical order by vessel name and send to the address in § 14.103(a) for storage at the Federal Records Center at Suitland, Maryland.”
The company may dispose of the copies of certificates of discharge.
46 CFR 14.313(a)“The company may dispose of the copies of certificates of discharge.”
The Coast Guard will dispose of copies of certificates submitted manually once the data are entered into its sea-service database and are validated.
46 CFR 14.313(a)“The Coast Guard will dispose of copies of certificates submitted manually, once the data are entered into its sea-service database and are validated.”
A shipping company that goes out of business or merges with another company must send all original articles to the address in § 14.103(a) within 30 days of the transaction.
46 CFR 14.313(b)“Each shipping company that goes out of business or merges with another company must send all original articles to the address in § 14.103(a) within 30 days of the transaction.”
Articles sent for storage that are not prepared in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section may be returned to the shipping company for correction.
46 CFR 14.313(c)“that are not prepared in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section may be returned to the shipping company for correction.”
The shipping company must provide copies of shipping articles and certificates of discharge to the mariner and the Coast Guard upon request.
46 CFR 14.313(d)“The shipping company must provide copies of shipping articles and certificates of discharge to the mariner and the Coast Guard upon request.”
Common questions
How long must a shipping company keep shipping articles?
A shipping company must keep all original shipping articles and copies of all certificates of discharge for 3 years.
“Each shipping company must keep all original shipping articles and copies of all certificates of discharge for 3 years.”
What happens to shipping articles after 3 years?
The company must prepare the original articles in alphabetical order by vessel name and send them to the address in § 14.103(a) for storage at the Federal Records Center at Suitland, Maryland.
“After 3 years the shipping companies must prepare the original shipping articles in alphabetical order by vessel name and send to the address in § 14.103(a) for storage at the Federal Records Center at Suitland, Maryland.”
What must a shipping company do with articles if it goes out of business?
It must send all original articles to the address in § 14.103(a) within 30 days of the transaction.
“Each shipping company that goes out of business or merges with another company must send all original articles to the address in § 14.103(a) within 30 days of the transaction.”
Can a mariner get copies of shipping articles?
Yes. The shipping company must provide copies of shipping articles and certificates of discharge to the mariner and the Coast Guard upon request.
“The shipping company must provide copies of shipping articles and certificates of discharge to the mariner and the Coast Guard upon request.”
The text of 46 CFR 14.313
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Storage of shipping articles and of certificates of discharge
(a) Each shipping company must keep all original shipping articles and copies of all certificates of discharge for 3 years. After 3 years the shipping companies must prepare the original shipping articles in alphabetical order by vessel name and send to the address in § 14.103(a) for storage at the Federal Records Center at Suitland, Maryland. The company may dispose of the copies of certificates of discharge. The Coast Guard will dispose of copies of certificates submitted manually, once the data are entered into its sea-service database and are validated.
(b) Each shipping company that goes out of business or merges with another company must send all original articles to the address in § 14.103(a) within 30 days of the transaction.
(c) Articles sent for storage to the address in § 14.103(a) of this part that are not prepared in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section may be returned to the shipping company for correction.
(d) The shipping company must provide copies of shipping articles and certificates of discharge to the mariner and the Coast Guard upon request.
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.