(a) An owner of a vessel may choose either of two methods to apply for an administrative waiver of the coastwise trade laws of the United States for an eligible vessel to carry no more than twelve passengers for hire.

(1) The application form contained on MARAD's Web site at http://www.marad.dot.gov may be submitted electronically with credit card or Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) payment of the $500 application fee.

(2) Alternatively, applicants may send written applications to Small Passenger Vessel Waiver Applications, Office of Cargo Preference, MAR-730, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590. Written applications need not be in any particular format, but must be signed, be accompanied by a check made out to the order of “Maritime Administration,” and contain the following information:

(i) Name of vessel and owner for which waiver is requested and the vessel's official number.

(ii) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel (state whether tonnage is measured pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 14502, or otherwise, and if otherwise, how measured).

(iii) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of intended operation and trade.

(iv) Date and place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. (If applicant is unable to document the origin of the vessel, foreign construction will be assumed).

(v) Name, address, and telephone number of the vessel owner.

(vi) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other commercial passenger vessel operators, including a statement describing the operations of existing operators.

(vii) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. shipyards.

(viii) A statement that the applicant represents that the foregoing information is true to the best of the applicant's knowledge.

(b) MARAD may ask additional questions of the applicant as part of the application review.

[69 FR 51772, Aug. 23, 2004, as amended at 70 FR 66797, Nov. 3, 2005; 75 FR 28206, May 20, 2010]