46 U.S.C. § 7310 — Able seamen—offshore supply vessels

Page 136 TITLE 46—SHIPPING § 7308 1 See Temporary Reduction of Lengths of Certain Periods of Service note below. 1 See Temporary Reduction of Lengths of Certain Periods of Service note below. beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 2023]— ‘‘(1) section 7307 of title 46, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ‘18 months’ for ‘3 years’; ‘‘(2) section 7308 of such title shall be applied by substituting ‘12 months’ for ‘18 months’; and ‘‘(3) section 7309 of such title shall be applied by substituting ‘6 months’ for ‘12 months’.’’ ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN SERVICES TOWARD ENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAMAN Service used to qualify for endorsement as able sea- man—fishing industry to be accepted as qualifying service toward an endorsement under this section, see section 602(e)(3) of Pub. L. 101–595, set out as a note under section 7306 of this title. § 7308. Able seamen—limited The required service for the endorsement of able seaman—limited, qualified for limited serv- ice on a vessel on any waters, is at least 18 months’ 1 service on deck on board vessels of at least 100 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage meas- ured under section 14302 of this title as pre- scribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title operating on the oceans or navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes). (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 721, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3938.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised section Source section (U.S. Code) 7308 .............................................. 46:672(b)(2) Section 7308 establishes the minimum service re- quirements for an individual to qualify for an endorse- ment as able seamen—limited. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1996—Pub. L. 104–324 inserted ‘‘as measured under sec- tion 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage meas- ured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title’’ after ‘‘100 gross tons’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF LENGTHS OF CERTAIN PERIODS OF SERVICE Section to be applied by substituting ‘‘12 months’’ for ‘‘18 months’’ for the 3-year period beginning on Dec. 22, 2023, see section 3534(j) of Pub. L. 118–31, set out as a note under section 7307 of this title. ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN SERVICES TOWARD ENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAMAN Service used to qualify for endorsement as able sea- man—fishing industry to be accepted as qualifying service toward an endorsement under this section, see section 602(e)(3) of Pub. L. 101–595, set out as a note under section 7306 of this title. § 7309. Able seamen—special The required service for the endorsement of able seaman—special, qualified for special serv- ice on a vessel on any waters, is at least 12 months’ 1 service on deck on board vessels oper- ating on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes). (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised section Source section (U.S. Code) 7309 .............................................. 46:672(b)(3) Section 7309 establishes the minimum service re- quirements for an individual to qualify as able sea- men—special. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF LENGTHS OF CERTAIN PERIODS OF SERVICE Section to be applied by substituting ‘‘6 months’’ for ‘‘12 months’’ for the 3-year period beginning on Dec. 22, 2023, see section 3534(j) of Pub. L. 118–31, set out as a note under section 7307 of this title. ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN SERVICES TOWARD ENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAMAN Service used to qualify for endorsement as able sea- man—fishing industry to be accepted as qualifying service toward an endorsement under this section, see section 602(e)(3) of Pub. L. 101–595, set out as a note under section 7306 of this title. § 7310. Able seamen—offshore supply vessels For service on a vessel of less than 500 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title en- gaged in support of exploration, exploitation, or production of offshore mineral or energy re- sources, an individual may be rated as able sea- man—offshore supply vessels if the individual has at least 6 months’ service on deck on board vessels operating on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes). (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 722, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3938.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised section Source section (U.S. Code) 7310 .............................................. 46:672(b)(3) Section 7310 establishes the minimum service re- quirements for an individual to serve as able seamen— offshore supply vessels on vessels of less than 500 gross tons engaged in the exploration, exploitation, or pro- duction of offshore mineral or energy resources. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1996—Pub. L. 104–324 inserted ‘‘as measured under sec- tion 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage meas- ured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title’’ after ‘‘500 gross tons’’. Page 137 TITLE 46—SHIPPING § 7312 § 7311. Able seamen—sail For service on a sailing school vessel on any waters, an individual may be rated as able sea- man—sail if the individual has at least 6 months’ service on deck on sailing school ves- sels, oceanographic research vessels powered pri- marily by sail, or equivalent sailing vessels op- erating on the oceans or navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes). (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised section Source section (U.S. Code) 7311 .............................................. 46:672(b)(4) Section 7311 establishes the minimum service re- quirements for an individual to qualify as able sea- men—sail on board sailing vessels. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title. § 7311a. Able seamen—fishing industry For service on a fish processing vessel, an indi- vidual may be rated as able seaman—fishing in- dustry if the individual has at least 6 months’ service on deck on board vessels operating on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes). (Added Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(9)(D), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 448.) § 7312. Scale of employment (a) Individuals qualified as able seamen—un- limited under section 7307 of this title may con- stitute all of the able seamen required on a ves- sel. (b) Individuals qualified as able seamen—lim- ited under section 7308 of this title may con- stitute all of the able seamen required on a ves- sel of less than 1,600 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under sec- tion 14104 of this title or on a vessel operating on the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River as far east as Sept Iles. Individuals quali- fied as able seamen—limited may constitute not more than 50 percent of the number of able sea- men required on board other vessels. (c) Individuals qualified as able seamen—spe- cial under section 7309 of this title may con- stitute— (1) all of the able seamen required on a ves- sel of not more than 500 gross tons as meas- ured under section 14502 of this title, or an al- ternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title or on a sea- going barge or towing vessel; and (2) not more than 50 percent of the number of able seamen required on board other ves- sels. (d) Individuals qualified as able seamen—off- shore. supply vessel under section 7310 of this title may constitute all of the able seamen re- quired on board a vessel of less than 500 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title or 6,000 gross tons as measured under section 14302 of this title engaged in support of explo- ration, exploitation, or production of offshore mineral or energy resources. Individuals quali- fied as able seamen—limited under section 7308 of this title may constitute all of the able sea- men required on board a vessel of at least 500 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title or 6,000 gross tons as measured under section as measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under sec- tion 14104 of this title engaged in support of ex- ploration, exploitation, or production of offshore mineral or energy resources. (e) When the service of able seamen—limited or able seamen—special is authorized for only a part of the required number of able seamen on board a vessel, the combined percentage of those individuals so qualified may not be greater than 50 percent of the required number. (f) Individuals qualified as able seamen—fish- ing industry under section 7311a of this title may constitute— (1) all of the able seamen required on a fish processing vessel entered into service before January 1, 1988, and of more than 1,600 gross tons but not more than 5,000 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Sec- retary under section 14104 of this title; and (2) all of the able seamen required on a fish processing vessel entered into service after De- cember 31, 1987, and having more than 16 indi- viduals on board primarily employed in the preparation of fish or fish products but of not more than 5,000 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate ton- nage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title. (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543; Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(9)(E), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 448; Pub. L. 99–307, § 1(11), May 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 445; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 723, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3938; Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, § 617(b), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2973.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised section Source section (U.S. Code) 7312 .............................................. 46:672(f) Section 7312(a) provides that able seamen—unlimited may constitute all of the able seamen required on a vessel. Subsection (b) provides that able seamen—limited may constitute 100 percent of the able seamen required on board vessels of less than 600 gross tons operating on the Great Lakes and 50 percent of the number of able seamen required on the larger vessels. Subsection (c) provides that able seamen—special may constitute 100 percent of the able seamen required on vessels not more than 500 gross tons, or a seagoing barge or towing vessel. Able seamen—special may only constitute up to 50 percent of the number of able sea- men required on other vessels. Subsection (d) provides that able seamen—offshore supply vessels may constitute 100 percent of the num- ber of able seamen required on vessels of less than 500