(a) No person may operate on the navigable waters of the United States a foreign flag vessel, whose flag administration issues IMO Certificates, unless the vessel has:

(1) An IMO Certificate issued by the flag administration that is endorsed with the name of the cargo that it is allowed to carry, and, except when entering United States waters to be examined as required by § 154.150, a Certificate of Compliance 1 issued by the Coast Guard endorsed under this part with the name of the cargo that it is allowed to carry; or

(2) Special approval under § 154.30.

(b) No person may operate on the navigable waters of the United States a foreign flag vessel, whose flag administration does not issue IMO Certificates, unless the vessel has:

(1) Except when entering United States waters to be examined as required by § 154.150, a Certificate of Compliance 1 issued by the Coast Guard endorsed under this part with the name of the cargo it is allowed to carry; or

(2) Special approval under § 154.30.

(c) No person may operate on the navigable waters of the United States a foreign flag vessel unless the vessel has onboard the following plans and information which except for the certificates under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, are in English:

(1) The vessel's Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate and Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate issued under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974.

(2) A description and schematic plan of the arrangement for inerting cargo tanks, hold spaces, and interbarrier spaces.

(3) A description of the cargo tank gauging equipment.

(4) A description and instruction manual for the calibration of the cargo leak detector equipment.

(5) A schematic plan that shows the locations of leak detectors and sampling points.

(6) If the vessel carries methane, a description of the systems for cargo temperature and pressure control. (See §§ 154.703 through 154.709).