46 USC § 3709 - Exemptions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s3709"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 3709 - Exemptions"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "3709"
section_name: "Exemptions"
chapter_number: 37
chapter_name: "CARRIAGE OF LIQUID BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "Inspection and Regulation of Vessels"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 524.)"
---


# § 3709. Exemptions

The Secretary may exempt a vessel from the minimum requirements established by sections 3704–3706 of this title for segregated ballast, crude oil washing, and dedicated clean ballast if the Secretary decides that shore-based reception facilities are a preferred method of handling ballast and that adequate facilities are readily available.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 524.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 3709 | 46:391a(7)(N) |

Section 3709 provides the Secretary with the authority to exempt certain minimum tanker requirements of sections 3704, 3705, and 3706 when shorebased reception facilities are a better way of handling ballast and when the facilities are adequate and readily available.