---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7301"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7301"
heading: "General"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7301"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 73 — Merchant Mariners’ Documents"
---

# §7301. General

- (a) In this chapter—
  - (1) “service on deck” means service in the deck department in work related to the work usually performed on board vessels by able seamen and may include service on fishing, [fish](/usc/46/2101.md?p=11) processing, [fish tender vessels](/usc/46/2101.md?p=14) and on [public vessels](/usc/46/2101.md?p=35) of the United States;
  - (2) 360 days is equal to one year’s service; and
  - (3) a day is equal to 8 hours of labor or duty.
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may prescribe regulations to carry out this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 541; Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(9)(B), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 448.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 7301 | 46:672(c) |

Section 7301 defines “service on deck”, “one year’s service” and “day” with respect to the qualifying time for the issuance of various types of endorsements as able seamen. This section also provides the Secretary with the authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this chapter.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1984—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 98–364 substituted “fishing, fish processing, fish tender vessels” for “decked fishing vessels”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Merchant Marine Post-Service Career Opportunities

Pub. L. 113–281, title III, § 305(d), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3044, provided that: “Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2014], the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall take steps to promote better awareness, on an ongoing basis, among Coast Guard personnel regarding post-service use of Coast Guard training, education, and practical experience in satisfaction of requirements for merchant mariner credentials under section 11.213 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations.”