Map coastwise-trade limits for a voyage between US points
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the voyage instructions, record the load port, the discharge port, and what the instructions say about the vessel's build, ownership and documentation. Decide nothing.
- What the lawyer must review
- 46 USC section 55102 provides that, except as otherwise provided, a vessel may not transport merchandise by water, or by land and water, between points in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, directly or via a foreign port, unless the vessel is wholly owned by citizens of the United States for the coastwise trade and has a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement under chapter 121, or is exempt from documentation but would otherwise qualify. Merchandise transported in violation is liable to seizure and forfeiture, or a monetary recovery of the value of the merchandise or the cost of transportation, whichever is greater. The Maritime Administration describes the same statute as requiring a US-built, US-owned and coastwise-endorsed vessel, and states that Customs and Border Protection enforces it. Reconcile the "US-built" point with chapter 121 before you advise. Waivers under 46 USC section 501 are a separate, narrow path that MARAD describes. Opinion 512 applies.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUSCth
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Trace every relied-on figure to its source, confirm dates and assumptions, and independently recalculate totals or derived amounts.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.