1. (a) When exchange of a Certificate of Documentation issued to a vessel is required pursuant to subpart L of this part and the vessel is at sea, the owner may affect the exchange while the vessel is still at sea by:

   1. (1) Complying with the requirements of § 67.141; and
   2. (2) complying with the requirements of § 67.145, if applicable.
2. (b) The documentation officer prepares a new Certificate of Documentation and forwards it for delivery to the vessel's next port of call. If the port of call is in the United States, the Certificate is forwarded to the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Sector Office. If the port of call is in a foreign country, the Certificate is forwarded to the nearest American Consulate. The new Certificate is delivered only upon surrender of the old Certificate, which is then forwarded to the National Vessel Documentation Center.

Note: A Certificate of Documentation is issued upon compliance with the applicable requirements, however, the requirement to mark the vessel with its new name or hailing port in accordance with subpart I of this part, if applicable, is waived until the vessel reaches its first port of call, wherever that may be.

[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, as amended by CGD 95-014, 60 FR 31604, June 15, 1995; USCG-2006-25556, 72 FR 36330, July 2, 2007]