---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 6309"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "6309"
heading: "Voyage data recorder access"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/6309"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part D — Marine Casualties"
  - "Chapter 63 — Investigating Marine Casualties"
---

# §6309. Voyage data recorder access


Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) shall have full, concurrent, and timely access to and ability to use voyage data recorder data and audio held by any Federal agency in all marine casualty investigations, regardless of which agency is the investigative lead.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–265, title II, § 207(a), Oct. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 3747.)