MMC Maritime Law & Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Jones Act, which of the following is a requirement for a vessel engaged in coastwise trade?
- Built in the U.S., U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed (Correct answer)
- U.S.-owned and U.S.-crewed only
- Built in the U.S. and U.S.-flagged only
- U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed only
Correct answer: Built in the U.S., U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed
The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 55102) requires coastwise trade vessels to be U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed.
Question 2: Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), who bears primary liability for oil spill cleanup costs and damages?
- The responsible party, which is typically the vessel owner or operator (Correct answer)
- The federal government through the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund
- The cargo owner whose product was spilled
- The port authority where the spill occurred
Correct answer: The responsible party, which is typically the vessel owner or operator
OPA 90 places primary liability on the 'responsible party,' generally the vessel owner or operator, for removal costs and damages.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'Notice of Arrival' (NOA) under 33 CFR Part 160?
- To notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a vessel's intent to enter a U.S. port (Correct answer)
- To report cargo manifest details to U.S. Customs
- To request a pilot for entering a port
- To obtain a permit to discharge ballast water
Correct answer: To notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a vessel's intent to enter a U.S. port
33 CFR Part 160 requires certain vessels to submit a Notice of Arrival to the USCG before entering U.S. ports or places.
Question 4: Under SOLAS, what is the minimum number of survival craft drills required per year for cargo ship crew?
- One drill per month (Correct answer)
- Two drills per month
- One drill per quarter
- One drill every six months
Correct answer: One drill per month
SOLAS Regulation III/19 requires that every crew member participates in at least one abandon ship and one fire drill every month.
Question 5: Which international convention governs the measurement of a ship's tonnage?
- The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships (Tonnage 1969) (Correct answer)
- SOLAS 1974
- MARPOL 73/78
- The Load Line Convention 1966
Correct answer: The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships (Tonnage 1969)
The Tonnage Convention 1969 (in force 1982) established the international standard method for calculating Gross Tonnage (GT) and Net Tonnage (NT).
Question 6: What does the term 'demurrage' refer to in maritime law?
- Compensation owed to a shipowner when a vessel is detained beyond the agreed laytime (Correct answer)
- The fee paid to a harbor pilot for vessel navigation services
- Damage caused to cargo during loading or unloading
- The penalty for breaking a charter party contract early
Correct answer: Compensation owed to a shipowner when a vessel is detained beyond the agreed laytime
Demurrage is the sum agreed in a charter party as compensation to the shipowner for delays in loading or discharging beyond the allowed laytime.
Question 7: Under 46 CFR, what is required before a vessel's Certificate of Inspection (COI) can be issued?
- A successful inspection by the USCG verifying compliance with applicable regulations (Correct answer)
- Payment of all outstanding port fees and duties
- Submission of a voyage plan to the nearest district commander
- Approval from the American Bureau of Shipping only
Correct answer: A successful inspection by the USCG verifying compliance with applicable regulations
A COI is issued by the USCG after inspecting the vessel and confirming it meets all applicable safety and regulatory requirements under 46 CFR.
MMC Maritime Law & Regulations 2
Under the Jones Act, which of the following is a requirement for a vessel engaged in coastwise trade?