(a) Issuance of Certificate and Document.—
After verifying that the responsible person for a vessel to which this chapter applies and the vessel comply with the applicable requirements under this chapter, the Secretary shall issue for the vessel, on request of the responsible person, a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance.
(b) Maintenance of Certificate and Document.—
A Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance issued for a vessel under this section shall be maintained by the responsible person for the vessel as required by the Secretary.
(c) Verification of Compliance.—The Secretary shall—
(1)
periodically review whether a responsible person having a safety management plan approved under section 3204(b) and each vessel to which the plan applies is complying with the plan; and
(d) Enforcement.—
At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 60105 of this title of a vessel that is subject to this chapter under section 3202(a) of this title or to the International Safety Management Code, if the vessel does not have on board a Safety Management Certificate and a copy of a Document of Compliance for the vessel. Clearance may be granted on filing a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.
(Added Pub. L. 104–324, title VI, § 602(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3929; amended Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(10), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1703; Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, § 3529(b)(1)(A), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 603.)