46 CFR 143.605: Compliance tests for towing vessel design

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers how a towing vessel demonstrates compliance with the design and engineering requirements of this subpart. The owner or managing operator must devise test procedures. The tests must be satisfactorily conducted and witnessed by the cognizant OCMI or a TPO, and a record must be kept.

Applies toThe owner or managing operator of each towing vessel.

What it says

  1. The owner or managing operator of each towing vessel must devise test procedures that demonstrate compliance with the design and engineering requirements prescribed in this subpart.

    46 CFR 143.605(a)“The owner or managing operator of each towing vessel must devise test procedures that demonstrate compliance with the design and engineering requirements prescribed in this subpart.”

  2. The tests required in paragraph (a) of this section must be satisfactorily conducted and witnessed by the cognizant OCMI or a TPO.

    46 CFR 143.605(b)“must be satisfactorily conducted and witnessed by the cognizant OCMI or a TPO.”

  3. The owner or managing operator must retain a record of the tests, and the record must be available upon request of the cognizant OCMI or TPO.

    46 CFR 143.605(b)“A record of the tests must be retained by the owner or managing operator and be available upon request of the cognizant OCMI or TPO.”

Common questions

Who must devise the test procedures for a towing vessel?

The owner or managing operator of each towing vessel must devise the test procedures. They must demonstrate compliance with the design and engineering requirements of this subpart.

“The owner or managing operator of each towing vessel must devise test procedures that demonstrate compliance with the design and engineering requirements prescribed in this subpart.”

Who must witness the compliance tests?

The cognizant OCMI or a TPO must witness the tests. The tests must also be satisfactorily conducted.

“must be satisfactorily conducted and witnessed by the cognizant OCMI or a TPO.”

Do I have to keep a record of the compliance tests?

Yes. The owner or managing operator must retain a record of the tests and make it available upon request of the cognizant OCMI or TPO.

“A record of the tests must be retained by the owner or managing operator and be available upon request of the cognizant OCMI or TPO.”

The text of 46 CFR 143.605

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

Demonstration of compliance on vessels that move tank barges carrying oil or hazardous material in bulk

(a) The owner or managing operator of each towing vessel must devise test procedures that demonstrate compliance with the design and engineering requirements prescribed in this subpart.

(b) The tests required in paragraph (a) of this section must be satisfactorily conducted and witnessed by the cognizant OCMI or a TPO. A record of the tests must be retained by the owner or managing operator and be available upon request of the cognizant OCMI or TPO.

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.