46 CFR § 68.60 - Eligibility of a vessel for a coastwise endorsement under this subpart.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s68.60"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 68.60 - Eligibility of a vessel for a coastwise endorsement under this subpart."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "68.60"
section_name: "Eligibility of a vessel for a coastwise endorsement under this subpart."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "G"
subchapter_name: "DOCUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS"
part_number: "68"
part_name: "DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS: EXCEPTIONS TO COASTWISE QUALIFICATION"
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. 3306, 3703, 8105; sec. 617, Pub. L. 111-281, 124 Stat. 2905; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4."
regulatory_source: "CGD 80-107, 47 FR 27511, June 24, 1982, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "68"
---
# 68.60 Eligibility of a vessel for a coastwise endorsement under this subpart.
(a) To be eligible for a coastwise endorsement under 46 U.S.C. 12106(e) and to operate in coastwise trade under 46 U.S.C. 12106(e) and 12110(b), a vessel must meet the following:
(1) The vessel is eligible for documentation under 46 U.S.C. 12102.
(2) The vessel is eligible for a coastwise endorsement under § 67.19(c) of this chapter and has not lost coastwise eligibility under § 67.19(d) of this chapter.
(3) The person that owns the vessel (or, if the vessel is owned by a trust or similar arrangement, the beneficiary of the trust or similar arrangement) makes the certification in § 68.65.
(4) The person that owns the vessel has transferred to a qualified U.S. citizen under 46 U.S.C. app. 802 full possession, control, and command of the vessel through a demise charter in which the demise charterer is considered the owner *pro hac vice* during the term of the charter.
(5) The charterer must certify to the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center, that the charterer is a citizen of the United States for engaging in the coastwise trade under 46 U.S.C. app. 802.
(6) The demise charter is for a period of at least 3 years, unless a shorter period is authorized by the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center, under circumstances such as—
(i) When the vessel's remaining life would not support a charter of 3 years; or
(ii) To preserve the use or possession of the vessel.
(b) To apply for a coastwise endorsement for a vessel under a demise charter, see § 68.70 and, for a barge, see § 68.75.
Section 608(b) of Public Law 108-293 provides special requirements for certain vessels in the Alaska trade.