46 CFR 4.05-1: Notice of marine casualty to Coast Guard

Last reviewed: October 26, 2026

This section requires the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge to notify the nearest Coast Guard units when a vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU is involved in a marine casualty of the kinds listed in paragraph (a). Notice is due immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns. Paragraphs (b) and (c) say when other notices or reports satisfy the requirement.

Applies toIt applies to a vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU to which this part applies that is involved in a marine casualty of a kind listed in paragraph (a).

What it says

  1. The owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge must notify the nearest Coast Guard units immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns. This applies whenever the vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU is involved in a marine casualty of a kind listed in paragraph (a).

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)“Immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns, the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge, must notify the nearest Coast Guard units”

  2. An unintended grounding, or an unintended strike of (allision with) a bridge, is a listed casualty that requires notice.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)(1)“An unintended grounding, or an unintended strike of (allision with) a bridge;”

  3. A loss of main propulsion, primary steering, or any associated component or control system that reduces the maneuverability of the vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU is a listed casualty that requires notice.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)(3)“A loss of main propulsion, primary steering, or any associated component or control system that reduces the maneuverability of the vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU;”

  4. A loss of life is a listed casualty that requires notice.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)(5)“A loss of life;”

  5. An injury is a listed casualty when it requires professional medical treatment beyond first aid. If the person is engaged or employed on board in commercial service, the injury must also render the individual unfit to perform their routine duties.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)(6)“An injury that requires professional medical treatment (treatment beyond first aid) and, if the person is engaged or employed on board a vessel in commercial service”

  6. An occurrence causing property-damage in excess of $75,000 is a listed casualty that requires notice. The damage includes the cost of labor and material to restore the property, but not the cost of salvage, cleaning, gas-freeing, drydocking, or demurrage.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(a)(7)“An occurrence causing property-damage in excess of $75,000, this damage including the cost of labor and material to restore the property to its condition before the occurrence”

  7. Notice given as required by 33 CFR 160.215 satisfies this section if the marine casualty involves a hazardous condition as defined by 33 CFR 160.202.

    46 CFR 4.05-1(b)“Notice given as required by 33 CFR 160.215 satisfies the requirement of this section if the marine casualty involves a hazardous condition as defined by 33 CFR 160.202.”

Common questions

When must I notify the Coast Guard of a marine casualty?

When a vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU is involved in a casualty listed in paragraph (a), the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge must notify the nearest Coast Guard units. Notice is due immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns.

“Immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns, the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge, must notify the nearest Coast Guard units”

How much property damage requires notice of a marine casualty?

An occurrence causing property-damage in excess of $75,000 requires notice. The damage includes the cost of labor and material to restore the property.

“An occurrence causing property-damage in excess of $75,000, this damage including the cost of labor and material to restore the property to its condition before the occurrence”

Does a hazardous condition report satisfy the casualty notice requirement?

Yes, notice given as required by 33 CFR 160.215 satisfies this section if the casualty involves a hazardous condition as defined by 33 CFR 160.202.

“Notice given as required by 33 CFR 160.215 satisfies the requirement of this section if the marine casualty involves a hazardous condition as defined by 33 CFR 160.202.”

The text of 46 CFR 4.05-1

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of July 30, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Notice of marine casualty

(a) Immediately after addressing resultant safety concerns, the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge, must notify the nearest Coast Guard units, to include Sector, Marine Safety Unit, Coast Guard District or Area Offices whenever a vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU to which this part applies is involved in a marine casualty consisting of—

(1) An unintended grounding, or an unintended strike of (allision with) a bridge;

(2) An intended grounding, or an intended strike of a bridge, that creates a hazard to navigation, the environment, or the safety of a vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU that meets any criterion of paragraphs (a)(3) through (8) of this section;

(3) A loss of main propulsion, primary steering, or any associated component or control system that reduces the maneuverability of the vessel, floating OCS facility, or MODU;

(4) An occurrence materially and adversely affecting the vessel's seaworthiness or fitness for service or route, including but not limited to fire, flooding, or failure of or damage to fixed fire-extinguishing systems, lifesaving equipment, auxiliary power-generating equipment, or bilge-pumping systems;

(5) A loss of life;

(6) An injury that requires professional medical treatment (treatment beyond first aid) and, if the person is engaged or employed on board a vessel in commercial service, floating OCS facility, or MODU in commercial service, that renders the individual unfit to perform their routine duties; or

(7) An occurrence causing property-damage in excess of $75,000, this damage including the cost of labor and material to restore the property to its condition before the occurrence, but not including the cost of salvage, cleaning, gas-freeing, drydocking, or demurrage.

(8) An occurrence involving significant harm to the environment as defined in § 4.03-65.

(b) Notice given as required by 33 CFR 160.215 satisfies the requirement of this section if the marine casualty involves a hazardous condition as defined by 33 CFR 160.202.

(c) Except as otherwise required under this subpart, if the marine casualty exclusively involves an occurrence or occurrences described by paragraph (a)(8) of this section, a report made pursuant to 33 CFR 153.203, 40 CFR 117.21, or 40 CFR 302.6 satisfies the immediate notification requirement of this section.

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 July 30, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.