(a) It is hereby found necessary in the interest of national defense to waive compliance with the navigation and vessel inspection laws administered by the Coast Guard, as well as the regulations issued thereunder and published in 33 CFR chapter I or in this chapter, to the extent and in the manner and upon the terms and conditions as set forth in this section.

(b) An application requesting that a waiver be made effective, with respect to a particular vessel, may be made by any authorized representative of an agency of the United States Government or any other interested person (including the master, agent, or owner of the vessel involved). Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, the application shall be in writing. The application shall be delivered to the Coast Guard District Commander or to his designated representative at the port or place where the vessel is located. In the case of a vessel in any foreign port or place, the application shall be made to the designated representative of the Commandant at such port or place, or if the Coast Guard has not established facilities in such port or place, to the nearest designated representative of the Commandant at a port or place where such facilities have been established. Every application shall contain a statement of the particular provisions of law with respect to which waiver of compliance is requested, a certification that the waiver of compliance with such laws with respect to the vessel involved is necessary in the interest of national defense and, an outline of the facts upon which such certification is based. The Coast Guard District Commander (or his designated representative or the designated representative of the Commandant, as the case may be) shall promptly examine every application for the purpose of determining whether the necessity for prompt action is such as to require that the waiver be made effective by him without reference to the Commandant. In any case in which it appears to the Coast Guard officer concerned that reference of the application to the Commandant for action would not delay the sailing of the vessel or otherwise be contrary to the interest of national defense, the application shall be so referred. In all other cases, such Coast Guard officer shall give immediate consideration to the application and if he reaches the conclusion that the urgency of the situation outweighs the marine hazard involved, then such waiver shall be made effective in regard to such vessel to the extent and under the circumstances specified by him.

(c) The Coast Guard officer making such a waiver effective pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section shall immediately prepare, in triplicate, an order setting forth the name of the vessel involved, the laws (also regulations, if any) with respect to which the waiver is effective, the extent to which compliance with such laws (also regulations, if any) is waived, and the period for which the waiver shall be effective. If practicable, one copy of this order shall be delivered to the master of the vessel involved before such vessel sails. In any case where the order is not delivered to the master, it shall be delivered to the owner, operator, or agent of the vessel without delay. One copy of the order shall be transmitted to the Commandant and the remaining copy kept on file.

(d) In any case of extreme urgency the application for a waiver may be made orally, and if the Coast Guard District Commander (or his designated representative or the designated representative of the Commandant, as the case may be) reaches the conclusion referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, the waiver shall be made effective without further delay, subject to the condition that the application be reduced to writing and delivered within such period after the date of the oral request as the Coast Guard officer making the waiver effective shall specify in the order.

(e) No penalty shall be imposed because of failure to comply with any provision of law (or regulation, if any), the waiver of which has been made effective pursuant to the requirements in this section.