Contact Information
Vessel Document Center is one of the military installations owned by the United States Coast Guard, although it provides military support in critical times only. The military role is activated for defensive purposes. Other than that, the center is responsible for the maritime commerce. It is located in Falling Waters, in the western side of Virginia. In other words, the center currently deals with the bureaucratic work in the United States Coast Guard.
Mission
The mission of Vessel Document Center changes according to the military status of the United States of America. These days, the mission is clear and concise – facilitating the maritime commerce, while also taking in consideration the financial side of the country through a series of laws, rules and regulations.
During emergency or war times, the center is responsible for registering all the vessels that can be used with defensive roles.
Overall, the center mostly deals with bureaucratic operations. Fortunately for those who have to get in touch with the center, most of the forms are available over the Internet too, on the official website. Whether you look after an application for commerce, a certification, a renewal, an application for measurements or a building certificate, all you have to do is to download the form over the Internet, print and complete it, then hand it over to the center. This whole computerized system was recently implemented and facilitates the operations. Things go a lot smoother and easier for both parts. Those who need a particular service no longer have to wait in rows, while the officials save a lot of time with the applications.
Vessel Document Center actually deals with the registration forms and all the additional papers. It is among the oldest laws given by the government and dates since 1920. In order to perform commerce operations or ship around the coastal areas, every business owner must go through this center.
Rules
The rules, laws and regulations at Vessel Document Center are widely varied, therefore you must get in touch with this center before taking any action if you are not sure of particular aspects. In order to go through this center, a vessel must be at least five tons and also owned by an American citizen. Things are different for the oil transportation vessels. Aside from the commercial purposes, the shipping vessels must also be documented. Shipping is considered to be a form of commerce. A lot of vessel owners confuse the measurement with the tonnage, which is also expressed in tons. Instead, they must look after the volume.
There are also a few exceptions. The ships that do not operate in the USA waters are free of charge. The same goes for the official ships, such as the ones operated by the United States Coast Guard. A similar rule applies to the ships using the internal lakes or rivers, with the clear exception covering the Great Lakes.
These are just a few basic laws and regulations at Vessel Document Center. In order to get a better idea of all the laws, you need to get in touch with the center.
