46 CFR § 42.11-1 - General.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s42.11-1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 42.11-1 - General."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "42.11-1"
section_name: "General."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "E"
subchapter_name: "LOAD LINES"
part_number: "42"
part_name: "DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VOYAGES BY SEA"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 5101-5116; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4; section 42.01-5 also issued under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 3507."
cfr_part: "42"
---


# 42.11-1 General.

(a) As described in this subchapter under §§ 42.07-35, 42.07-40, 42.09-15, and 42.09-20, the American Bureau of Shipping or other recognized classification societies approved as load line assigning and issuing authorities perform the duties connected with making load line assignments to vessels.

(b) The Commandant is responsible for the administration of the load line acts, the 1966 Convention, other treaties regarding load lines, and the implementing regulations in this subchapter which include prescribed form and content of applicable load line certificates.

(c) Except in special instances for Coast Guard vessels, the Commandant does not perform the duties of a load line assigning authority.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10057, July 12, 1968, as amended by CGFR 68-126, 34 FR 9013, June 5, 1969; CGD 80-120, 47 FR 5723, Feb. 8, 1982]