§ 3203. Safety management system

• (a) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations which establish a safety management system for responsible persons and vessels to which this chapter applies, including—
  • (1) a safety and environmental protection policy;
  • (2) instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of those vessels and protection of the environment in compliance with international and United States law;
  • (3) defined levels of authority and lines of communications between, and among, personnel on shore and on the vessel;
  • (4) procedures for reporting accidents and nonconformities with this chapter;
  • (5) procedures for preparing for and responding to emergency situations; and
  • (6) procedures for internal audits and management reviews of the system.
• (b) Regulations prescribed under this section shall be consistent with the International Safety Management Code with respect to vessels to which this chapter applies under section 3202(a) of this title .
• (c) In prescribing regulations for passenger vessels and small passenger vessels, the Secretary shall consider—
  • (1) the characteristics, methods of operation, and nature of the service of these vessels; and
  • (2) with respect to vessels that are ferries, the sizes of the ferry systems within which the vessels operate.