46 U.S.C. § 3305 — Scope and standards of inspection

(a)(1) The inspection process must ensure that an inspected vessel^*: (A) has a structure suitable for its service; (B) has proper lifesaving, fire-prevention, and firefighting equipment; (C) has suitable accommodations for crew, sailing-school instructors and students, and authorized passengers; (D) has enough drinkable water for passengers and crew to drink and wash; (E) can be operated safely for life and property; and (F) follows applicable marine-safety laws and regulations. (2) To decide whether the water supply is enough, the Secretary must consider the vessel's size and type, the number of passengers and crew, voyage length and route, and potable-water guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Public Health Service.

(b) If an inspection or section 3308 examination finds a life preserver, lifesaving device, or firehose defective and not repairable, the owner or master must destroy it in the presence of the inspecting official.

(c) A nautical-school vessel operated by a civilian nautical school or an educational institution under 40 U.S.C. 558 must be inspected as a small passenger vessel or passenger vessel, depending on its tonnage.

(d)(1) The Coast Guard Commandant must ensure Officers in Charge, Marine Inspections interpret regulations and standards under this subtitle and chapter 700 consistently, to avoid disruption and unnecessary industry expense. (2)(A) If a local inspecting Officer and the Officer who issued the vessel's latest inspection certificate disagree about the vessel's condition or the meaning of a regulation or standard in (a), they must try to resolve the disagreement. (B) If it concerns vessel design or plan review, the Coast Guard marine safety center must take part in all efforts. (C) If it cannot be resolved, the local Officer must send the Commandant, through the responsible Coast Guard district commander, a request for a final agency^* decision. (3)(A) The Commandant must give each person affected by a decision or action of an Officer or the marine safety center the information needed to exercise appeal rights. (B) If an appeal is filed, the Commandant must process it under parts 1 through 4 of title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations as they existed when the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 was enacted. (4) Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection means a civilian or military Coast Guard person who the Commandant designates and who, under the responsible district commander's direction, is in charge of an inspection zone for inspections and enforcement and administration of subtitle II, chapter 700, and regulations under those laws.