Register

A marine document issued to a vessel by the customs officials, permitting such vessel to engage in trade with a foreign country, to be employed in the fisheries, and to engage in domestic trade. In other words, a register does not limit a vessel's occupation. The register identifies the vessel in the following particulars; nationality, official number, ownership, vessel's name, home port, name of master, year of building, place of building, name of the measurer, number of decks, number of masts, rig of vessel, dimensions and tonnage. Vessels of the United States engaged in trade with a foreign country (except upon the northern inland frontier of the United States) must be under register. The register continues in force indefinitely unless the rig of the vessel, or the tonnage of same, or the ownership changes, in which case a new register must be obtained.