(a) Passenger vessels, tank vessels, cargo and miscellaneous vessels, nautical schoolships, mobile offshore drilling units, and oceanographic vessels are subject to the regulations in this subchapter to the extent prescribed by various laws and regulations as described in §50.01-1. The applicable provisions in this subchapter shall apply to all such U.S. flag vessels, and to all such foreign vessels which carry passengers from any port in the United States except as follows:

(1) Any vessel of a foreign nation signatory to the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, and which has on board a current, valid Convention certificate attesting to the sufficiency of the marine engineering details as prescribed by applicable regulations in this chapter.

(2) Any vessel of a foreign nation having inspection laws approximating those of the United States together with reciprocal inspection arrangements with the United States, and which has on board a current, valid certificate of inspection issued by its government under such arrangements.

(3) Any vessel operating exclusively on inland waters which are not navigable waters of the United States.

(4) Any vessel laid up and dismantled and out of commission.

(5) With the exception of vessels of the U.S. Maritime Administration, any vessel with the title vested in the United States and which is used for public purposes.

(b) Notwithstanding the exceptions previously noted in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section, foreign vessels of novel design or construction or whose operation involves potential unusual risks shall be subject to inspection to the extent necessary to safeguard life and property in U.S. ports, as further provided by §2.01-13 in subchapter A (Procedures Applicable to the Public) of this chapter.

[CGFR 68-82, 33 FR 18808, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGD 73-251, 43 FR 56799, Dec. 4, 1978; CGD 80-161, 48 FR 15472, Apr. 11, 1983; CGD 90-008, 55 FR 30660, July 26, 1990; CGD 95-012, 60 FR 48049, Sept. 18, 1995]