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33 USC § 1906 - Incidents involving ships

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s1906"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 1906 - Incidents involving ships"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "1906"
section_name: "Incidents involving ships"
chapter_number: 33
chapter_name: "PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 96–478, § 7, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2300; Pub. L. 102–241, § 39, Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2225.)"
---

# § 1906. Incidents involving ships

**(a)** **Requirement to report incident** The master, person in charge, owner, charterer, manager, or operator of a ship involved in an incident shall report the incident in the manner prescribed by Article 8 of the Convention in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary for that purpose.

**(b)** **Requirement to report discharge, probable discharge, or presence of oil** The master or person in charge of—

shall report a discharge, probable discharge, or presence of oil in the manner prescribed by Article 4 of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990 (adopted at London, November 30, 1990), in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary for that purpose.

**(1)** a ship of United States registry or nationality, or operated under the authority of the United States, wherever located;

**(2)** another ship while in the navigable waters of the United States; or

**(3)** a sea port or oil handling facility subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 96–478, § 7, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2300; Pub. L. 102–241, § 39, Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2225.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1991— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows:

“(a) As soon as he has knowledge of an incident, the master or other person in charge of a ship shall report it to the Secretary in the manner prescribed by Article 8 of the Convention.

“(b) Upon receipt of the report of an incident involving a ship, other than one of United States registry or nationality or one operated under the authority of the United States, the Secretary shall take the action required by Article 8 of the Convention.”