As of June 1, 2018, Alabama Act 2018-179 established a formal statewide program, administered through the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), to address abandoned or derelict vessels (ADVs). There are also non-governmental organizations that are involved with the removal and disposal of ADVs, including the Dog River Clearwater Revival, which has worked with Sea Grant and the NOAA Marine Debris Program to remove vessels from the state’s waterways.

Funding

The Alabama Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Fund, established June 2018 and managed by the Secretary of ALEA, is for payment of the seizure, removal, transportation, preservation, storage, advertisement, appraisal, and disposal of a derelict vessel.

Legislative Overview

Effective June 1, 2018, Act 2018-179, relating to derelict and abandoned vessels, authorizes the removal of a vessel from the waters of this state under certain conditions by a law enforcement officer or a private property owner. Vessels that are found adrift are covered under §35-13-1, Code of Ala. 1975, which states that any person may take up and secure “all property adrift.” In addition, Alabama has laws that make it unlawful to place a “dangerous vessel” in a harbor in the state. Under §33-1-33, Code of Ala. 1975, any owner or agency in control of a vessel that is anchored, moored, or made fast to the shore illegally, or is liable to sink or pollute, or deemed to be derelict, can be charged with a fine if they fail to remove it.

Point of Contact

• ALEA has authority to take possession of and dispose of an abandoned or derelict vessel.
• The Alabama State Port Authority has jurisdiction over the state’s ports and administers the laws under Title 33 – Navigation.
• The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has authority to enforce mooring restrictions on state-owned bottom lands through the Marine Patrol.

Please see the link below for additional vessel information:

https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/ADV-Docs/ALABAMA_ADV_Legal_Review_revised2018ccw_NOAA_MDP.pdf

Consist of 12 characters (letters and numbers)

• First three characters – USCG assigned manufacturer identification code or the importer designation.
• Characters four through eight – serial number assigned by the manufacturer.
• Characters nine and 10 – indicate the month and the date of manufacture.
• Characters 11 and 12 – indicate the model year.

The title application fee is $20 for each application for Alabama certificate of title for a vessel.

Designated Agents shall add the sum of $5 as the commission for each application processed.

License Plate Issuing Officials shall collect an additional $5 as the commission for each application processed. The $5 is deposited in a separate fund maintained by the licensing official to be used in his or her sole discretion for any legal purpose in the operation of his or her office.

The application for vessel title must be electronically submitted to ALDOR and contain the following:

• Name and addresses of the applicant
• Name and addresses of all owners
• Hull identification number or, if none, an application for the issuance of hull identification number for the vessel
• Vessel number or, if none, an application for vessel number
• The official number for the vessel if any assigned by the United States Coast Guard
• Vessel information

The owner of a vessel for which this state is the state of principal use shall deliver to the office an application for a certificate of title for the vessel, with the applicable fee, no later than 20 days after the later of:

• The date of transfer of ownership; or
• The date Alabama becomes the state of principal use.

A vessel the ownership of which is recorded in a registry maintained by a country other than the United States which identifies each person that has an ownership interest in a vessel and includes a unique alphanumeric designation for the vessel.