(a) The provisions of this subpart shall apply to all vessels.

(a) On all vessels making a voyage of more than 48 hours duration, the entire steering gear, the whistle, and the means of communication between the bridge or pilothouse and engineroom shall be examined and tested by an officer of the vessel within a period of not more than 12 hours prior to departure. On all other vessels similar examinations and tests shall be made at least once in every week.

(b) The date of the test and the condition of the equipment shall be noted in the official logbook.

(a) The master of every vessel on an ocean, coastwise, or Great Lakes voyage shall enter the drafts of the vessel, forward and aft, in the official logbook when leaving port.

(b) On vessels subject to the requirements of Subchapter E (Load Lines) of this chapter at the time of departure from port on an ocean, coastwise, or Great Lakes voyage, the master shall insert in the official logbook a statement of the position of the loadline mark, port, and starboard, in relation to the surface of the water in which the vessel is then floating.

(1) When an allowance for draft is made for density of the water in which the vessel is floating, this density is to be noted in the official logbook.

(a) After loading and prior to departure and at all other times necessary to assure the safety of the vessel, the master shall determine that the vessel complies with all applicable stability requirements in the vessel's trim and stability book, stability letter, Certificate of Inspection, and Load Line Certificate, as the case may be, and then enter an attestation statement of the verification in the log book. The vessel may not depart until it is in compliance with these requirements.

(b) When determining compliance with applicable stability requirements the vessel's draft, trim, and stability must be determined as necessary and any stability calculations made in support of the determination must be retained on board the vessel for the duration of the voyage.

(a) It shall be the duty of the master and chief engineer to see that the vessel, and, in particular, the quarters are in a clean and sanitary condition. The chief engineer shall be responsible only for the sanitary condition of the engineering department.

(a) It shall be the duty of the chief engineer when he assumes charge of the boilers and machinery of a vessel to examine them thoroughly. If any parts thereof are in unsatisfactory condition, or if the safety-valve seals are broken, the fact shall immediately be reported to the master, owner, or agent, and the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(a) The master of a vessel fitted with loading doors shall assure that all loading doors are closed watertight and secured during the entire voyage except that—

(1) If a door cannot be opened or closed while the vessel is at a dock, it may be open while the vessel approaches and draws away from the dock, but only as far as necessary to enable the door to be immediately operated.

(2) If needed to operate the vessel, or embark and disembark passengers when the vessel is at anchor in protected waters, loading doors may be open provided that the master determines that the safety of the vessel is not impaired.

(b) For the purposes of this section, “loading doors” include all weathertight ramps, bow visors, and openings used to load personnel, equipment, cargo, and stores, in the collision bulkhead, the side shell, and the boundaries of enclosed superstructures that are continuous with the shell of the vessel.

(c) The master shall enter into the log book the time and door location of every closing of the loading doors.

(d) The master shall enter into the log book any opening of the doors in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section setting forth the time of the opening of the doors and the circumstances warranting this action.

(a) It shall be the responsibility of the master to assure himself that all exposed hatches and other openings in the hull of his vessel are closed, made properly watertight by the use of tarpaulins, gaskets or similar devices, and in all respects properly secured for sea before leaving protected waters.

(b) The openings to which this section applies are as follows:

(1) Exposed hatches.

(2) Gangway and other ports fitted below the freeboard deck.

(3) Port lights that are not accessible during navigation, including the dead lights for such port lights.

(c) The master at his discretion may permit hatches or other openings to remain uncovered or open, or to be uncovered or opened for reasonable purposes such as ship's maintenance while the vessel is being navigated: Provided, That in his opinion existing conditions warrant such action.

(d) In the event the master employs the discretionary provisions of this section after leaving port he shall cause appropriate entries to be made in the official log or equivalent thereof setting forth the time of uncovering, opening, closing or covering of the hatches or other openings to which this section applies and the circumstances warranting the action taken.

(e) The discretionary provisions of this section shall not relieve the master of his responsibility for the safety of his vessel, equipment or persons on board.

(a) Where fitted, it shall be the duty of the master to see that the emergency lighting and power systems are operated and inspected at least once in each week that the vessel is navigated to be assured that the system is in proper operating condition.

(b) Internal combustion engine driven emergency generators shall be operated under load for at least 2 hours, at least once in each month that the vessel is navigated.

(c) Storage batteries for emergency lighting and power systems shall be tested at least once in each 6-month period that the vessel is navigated to demonstrate the ability of the storage battery to supply the emergency loads for the specified period of time.

(d) The date of the tests and the condition and performance of the apparatus shall be noted in the official logbook.

Onboard training, musters, and drills must be in accordance with subchapter W (Lifesaving Appliances and Arrangements) of this chapter.

(a) It shall be the duty of the chief engineer to cause an entry in the log to be made of each supply of fuel oil received on board, stating the quantity received, the name of the vendor, the name of the oil producer, and the flashpoint (closed cup test) for which it is certified by the producer.

(b) It shall be the further duty of the chief engineer to cause to be drawn and sealed and suitably labeled at the time the supply is received on board, a half-pint sample of each lot of fuel oil. These samples shall be preserved until the particular supply of oil is exhausted.

(a) It shall be the duty of the owner, master, or person in charge to see that the vessel's firefighting equipment is at all times ready for use and that all such equipment required by the regulations in this subchapter is provided, maintained, and replaced as indicated.

(b) It shall be the duty of the owner, master, or person in charge to require and have performed at least once in every 12 months the tests and inspections of all hand portable fire extinguishers, semiportable fire extinguishing systems, and fixed fire extinguishing systems on board as described in Tables 189.25-20(a)(1) and 189.25-20(a)(2) in § 189.25-20(a) of this subchapter. The owner, master, or person in charge shall keep records of such tests and inspections showing the dates when performed, the number and/or other identification of each unit tested and inspected, and the name(s) of the person(s) and/or company conducting the tests and inspections. Such records shall be made available to the marine inspector upon request and shall be kept for the period of validity of the vessel's current certificate of inspection. Where practicable these records should be kept in or with the vessel's logbook. The conduct of these tests and inspections does not relieve the owner, master, or person in charge of his responsibility to maintain this firefighting equipment in proper condition at all times.