§ 31.10-16 - Inspection and certification of cargo gear - TB/ALL.

§ 31.10-16 Inspection and certification of cargo gear - TB/ALL.

(a) The owner, operator or master shall provide the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection with all current valid certificates and registers of cargo gear issued by competent persons or a recognized organization or nonprofit association approved by the Commandant to certify the suitability of the cargo gear.

(b) Every acceptable cargo gear certificate and/or register shall be properly executed by a person authorized to do so and shall:

(1) Certify as to the tests and examinations conducted;

(2) Show the dates on which the tests and examinations were conducted; and

(3) Indicate that the cargo gear described in the certificate or register complies with the standards of the organization or association authorized to issue the certificate or register.

(c) Competent persons for the purposes of this section are defined as -

(1) Surveyors of a classification society recognized by the Commandant under 46 U.S.C. 3316,

(2) Surveyors of a recognized cargo gear organization; or

(3) Responsible officials or employees of the testing laboratories, companies, or organizations who conduct tests of pieces of loose cargo gear, wire rope, or the annealing of gear as may be required by the standards of the organization or association authorized to issue the certificate or register.

(d) The registers issued in connection with cargo gear certification must have all required entries fully completed as of the dates indicated, shall be kept current, and shall include the following:

(1) A register of the cargo handling machinery and the gear accessory thereto carried on the vessel named therein;

(2) Certification of the testing and examination of winches, derricks, and their accessory gear;

(3) Certification of the testing and examination of cranes, hoists, and their accessory gear;

(4) Certification of the testing and examination of chains, rings, hooks, shackles, swivels, and blocks;

(5) Certification of the testing and examination of wire rope;

(6) Certification of the heat treatment of chains, rings, hooks, shackles, and swivels which require such treatment; and,

(7) Certification of the annual thorough examinations of gear not required to be periodically heat treated.

(e) The authorization for organizations to perform the required inspection is granted by the Chief, Office of Vessel Activities, Commandant (CG-CVC), and will continue until superseded, canceled, or modified. The following organizations are currently recognized by the Commandant (CG-CVC) as having the technical competence to handle the required inspection:

(1) National Cargo Bureau, Inc., with home offices at 17 Battery Place180 Maiden Lane, Suite 1232903, New York, NY 1000410038; on the Internet at http://www.natcargo.org.

(2) The International Cargo Gear Bureau, Inc., with home office at 321 West 44th Street481 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 1003610001; on the Internet at http://www.icgb.com.

[CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 16662, Dec. 30, 1965, as amended by CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51197, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2007-29018, 72 FR 53964, Sept. 21, 2007; USCG-2008-0394, 73 FR 35961, June 25, 2008; USCG-2008-0906, 73 FR 56509, Sept. 29, 2008; USCG-2021-0348, 87 FR 3224, Jan. 21, 2022]