The Law provides for three classes of documents; (1) A Register; (2) An Enrollment and License; (3) A License.
Originally the license, which is applicable only in the coasting trade, was an altogether separate document from the enrollment, the form of each document being provided by statute. In 1906, however, the two documents were consolidated into one, so far as enrolled vessels were concerned, leaving the license only to be required in the case of smaller vessels. As the law now stands these documents are distinguished as follows:—
Registry is required, for vessels engaged in the foreign trade and in the trade with our insular possessions, except Hawaii and Porto Rico, and is permitted to vessels engaged in the domestic trade under certain requirements as to entry at the Custom House when laden with certain commodities, etc. There is but a single form of register.
Enrollment of License is required for vessels of twenty tons or over when engaging in the coasting trade. Separate forms are issued for the coasting trade or fisheries, and for yachts.
License alone is required for vessels between five and twenty tons when likewise engaged in the coasting and fishing trade.
Vessels of less than five tons may not be licensed, nor may pleasure vessels of less than sixteen tons be documented except under special instructions from the Department of Commerce.
In general form and purpose these documents closely resemble each other and further consolidation and simplification is badly needed.
Restrictions as to Coastwise Trade.—
From 1817 until the recent war the coastwise trade of the United States was limited to vessels of the United States. This restriction, however, was removed by the shipping Act of 1916. Under this act (§ 9) the Shipping Board was authorized generally (with certain very limited exceptions) to purchase, lease and charter vessels suitable for its purposes, regardless of whether foreign-built or not, and also to sell and charter the same to citizens of the United States, such vessels being entitled to American registry. As to all such vessels the Act specifically provided that they should be permitted to engage in the coastwise trade. This privilege was also extended to vessels owned, chartered or leased by the Emergency Fleet Corporation (see § XXV, below).
In addition, under an act passed in 1917, the Shipping Board was given authority in its discretion to permit vessels of foreign registry, and foreign-built vessels which had been admitted to American registry under the Act of 1914, already referred to, to engage in coastwise trade during the war, and for three months thereafter.