An act to revise, consolidate, and enact certain laws related to vessels and seamen as subtitle II of title 46, United States Code, “Shipping”.
Key claim: This 1983 law folded Coast Guard shipping rules into Title 46 of the U.S. Code, covering vessel inspection, mariner licenses, crew requirements, and seamen protections, and repealed obsolete statutes.
Abstract
(S46 · 98th Congress) (Measure passed House, amended) Amends Federal law to recodify, consolidate, and revise specified shipping and related marine provisions administered by the Coast Guard. Reorganizes existing law with respect to: (1) the operation, inspection, and regulation of passenger, cargo, animal transport, and recreational vessels; (2) marine casualties and accidents; (3) licenses, certificates and merchant mariners’ documents; (4) the manning of vessels; and (5) merchant seamen, their protection and relief. Repeals specified laws and eliminates obsolete statutes. Latest action (1983-08-26): Became Public Law No: 98-89.
Why this matters
Title 46 Subtitle II is the statutory backbone the Coast Guard uses today to inspect vessels, license mariners, set manning standards, and enforce seamen protections. The 1983 recodification did not change underlying policy but made the shipping code coherent, which is why subsequent maritime rulemakings (towing vessel safety, TWIC, tanker security, MARAD programs) all cite Title 46 authorities.