46 U.S.C. § 3203 — Safety management system

(a) The Secretary must issue regulations establishing a safety management system for responsible persons and vessels covered by this chapter, including covered small passenger vessels. The system must include: (1) a safety and environmental-protection policy; (2) instructions and procedures for safe operation and compliance with international and United States law; (3) clear authority levels and communication lines between shore and vessel^* personnel; (4) accident and nonconformity reporting procedures; (5) procedures and annual training for all covered responsible persons and vessels on (A) preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault, (B) bystander intervention, (C) reporting, (D) responding, and (E) investigating; (6) the list and log book required by section 3106(a)(2) and (3); (7) emergency-preparation and response procedures; and (8) internal audits and management reviews.

(b) Procedures and training under subsection (a)(5) must match the reporting requirements in section 10104.

(c) (1)(A) During an audit required by section 10104(e), the Secretary may suspend a vessel’s Safety Management Certificate and issue a separate certificate lasting three months from issuance. (B) At the audit’s end, the Secretary must revoke the certificate if its holder knowingly or repeatedly failed to comply with section 10104, or if another safety-system failure caused that noncompliance. (2)(A) After a vessel audit, the Secretary may audit the responsible person’s system. (B) During that audit, the Secretary may suspend the person’s Document of Compliance and issue a separate document lasting three months. (C) At the end of the assessment or audit, the Secretary must revoke the document if its holder knowingly or repeatedly failed to comply with section 10104, or another system failure caused that noncompliance.

(d) The regulations must be consistent with the International Safety Management Code for vessels covered under section 3202(a).

(e) For passenger and small passenger vessels, the Secretary must consider their characteristics, operating methods, and service. For ferries, the Secretary must also consider the size of the ferry systems in which they operate.