§ 130.11 - Master Certificates.

(a) A contractor or other person who is responsible for vessels in the capacity of a builder, repairer, scrapper, or seller may choose to apply for a Master Certificate in lieu of applying for an individual Certificate for each vessel. A Master Certificate is designed to cover all of such applicant's vessels, provided each of such vessels is held by the applicant solely for purposes of construction, repair, scrapping or sale. A vessel which is being operated commercially in any business venture, including the business of building, repairing, scrapping, or selling other vessels (e.g., a slop barge used by a shipyard), is not eligible to be covered by a Master Certificate. Any vessel that requires a Certificate but is not eligible for a Master Certificate shall be covered by a separate Certificate under § 130.9.

(b) The application procedure for a Master certificate is the same as for other Certificates. Acceptable evidence of financial responsibility may be established by any of the methods in § 130.8(b), except insurance form CG-5358-9 and guaranty form CG-5358-9C. Applications shall be completed in full, except for Item 5. The applicant shall make the following statement in Item 5: “This is an application for a Master Certificate. The largest vessel to be covered by this application is ————— gross tons.” The gross tonnage indicated by the applicant in such statement may not exceed the applicant's dollar amount of financial responsibility divided by $150.

(c) Each Master Certificate shall indicate—

(1) The name of the operator (the applicant builder, repairer, scrapper, or seller);

(2) The dates of issuance and termination, encompassing a period of not more than three years; and

(3) The gross tonnage of the largest vessel eligible for coverage by that Master Certificate. The gross tonnage indicated on a particular Master Certificate shall be determined by the amount of financial responsibility established by the applicant under the optional methods set forth in § 130.8(b) (a master insurance form, a surety bond, self-insurance, or a master guaranty form). Master Certificates will not name the vessels covered by such Certificates.

(d) Additional vessels (none of which exceed the tonnage indicated on the Master Certificate, all of which are eligible for coverage by a Master Certificate, and all of which are held solely for the purpose of construction, repair, scrapping or sale) shall be automatically covered by that Master Certificate. However, before acquiring a vessel (by any means, including conversion of an existing vessel) of a larger gross tonnage than the tonnage indicated on the existing Master Certificate, the certificant shall submit:

(1) Evidence of increased financial responsibility to cover the larger vessel.

(2) A new certification fee.

(3) Either a new application form or a letter amending the existing application form to reflect the new gross tonnage which is to be indicated on a new Master Certificate.

(e) A person to whom a Master Certificate has been issued shall submit to the Commandant (G-MER—1), every six months beginning with the month in which the Master Certificate is issued, a report indicating the name, previous name, or other identifying information and gross tonnage of each vessel covered by the Master Certificate during the six-month reporting period.

(f) A copy of the Master Certificate shall be carried aboard each vessel covered by the Master Certificate. The original Certificate shall be retained at a U.S. location and be kept readily accessible for inspection by U.S. Government officials.

(g) Upon revocation or other invalidation of the Master Certificate, the original Certificate shall be returned within 10 days to the Commandant (G-MER-1) and all copies shall be destroyed by the person in whose name the Certificate was issued. The use of an invalid Master Certificate or any copy thereof is prohibited.