46 CFR 15.501: Certificate of inspection and vessel manning
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
The certificate of inspection (COI) specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew needed to operate a vessel safely. The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) decides the manning for each vessel after considering applicable laws, this part, and other factors.
Applies toVessels required to be inspected under 46 U.S.C. 3301.
What it says
The COI, issued by an OCMI to a vessel required to be inspected, specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew needed for safe operation.
46 CFR 15.501(a)“specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew necessary for the safe operation of the vessel”
The OCMI determines the manning requirements for a particular vessel.
46 CFR 15.501(b)“The manning requirements for a particular vessel are determined by the OCMI”
The OCMI considers the applicable laws, the regulations in this part, and all other factors involved.
46 CFR 15.501(b)“after consideration of the applicable laws, the regulations in this part, and all other factors involved”
Factors include emergency situations, size and type of vessel, installed equipment, and proposed routes of operation including frequency of port calls.
46 CFR 15.501(b)“emergency situations, size and type of vessel, installed equipment, proposed routes of operation including frequency of port calls”
Other factors include cargo carried, type of service, degree of automation, use of labor saving devices, and the vessel's organizational structure.
46 CFR 15.501(b)“cargo carried, type of service in which employed, degree of automation, use of labor saving devices, and the organizational structure of the vessel”
Common questions
What does a certificate of inspection say about crew?
It specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew necessary for the safe operation of the vessel.
“specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew necessary for the safe operation of the vessel”
Who decides how many crew a vessel needs?
The OCMI determines the manning requirements for a particular vessel.
“The manning requirements for a particular vessel are determined by the OCMI”
What factors does the OCMI consider when setting manning?
The OCMI considers applicable laws, the regulations in this part, and other factors such as vessel size and type, installed equipment, routes, cargo, and degree of automation.
“size and type of vessel, installed equipment, proposed routes of operation including frequency of port calls, cargo carried, type of service in which employed, degree of automation”
The text of 46 CFR 15.501
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Certificate of inspection
(a) The certificate of inspection (COI) issued by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), to a vessel required to be inspected under 46 U.S.C. 3301 specifies the minimum complement of officers and crew necessary for the safe operation of the vessel.
(b) The manning requirements for a particular vessel are determined by the OCMI after consideration of the applicable laws, the regulations in this part, and all other factors involved, such as: emergency situations, size and type of vessel, installed equipment, proposed routes of operation including frequency of port calls, cargo carried, type of service in which employed, degree of automation, use of labor saving devices, and the organizational structure of the vessel.
Sections it refers to
- 46 U.S.C. 3301
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.