Section 10311 requires a shipping commissioner, when discharging a seaman, either to provide the seaman with a certificate of discharge or to make an entry in the seaman’s continuous discharge book. It requires that certain facts be included in the certificate or in the entry, prohibits other information from being included, and requires the Secretary to keep records of all discharges, copies of which must be furnished to seamen at cost upon request. These discharges are used to substantiate the nature and duration of the seaman’s employment on a particular vessel. This section does not apply to fishing vessels, whaling vessels, or yachts.

1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–206, § 409(1), substituted “master or individual in charge” for “shipping commissioner”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–206, § 409(2), substituted “by the master and the seaman” for “by the master, the seaman, and the shipping commissioner as witness”.

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–206, § 409(3), substituted “owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge” for “Secretary”.

Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 103–206, § 409(4), substituted “at the request of the seaman” for “at a cost prescribed by regulation”.