In order to provide a basis for the necessary determinations with respect to the safety of life and property at sea, pursuant to § 971.407, § 971.422 and Subpart G of this part, the application must contain the following information for vessels used in commercial recovery, except for those vessels under 300 gross tons which are engaged in oceanographic research:

U.S. flag vessel. All mining ships and at least one of the transport ships used by each permittee must be documented under the laws of the United States. To the extent that the applicant knows which United States flag vessels it will use, it must include with its application copies of the vessels' current valid Coast Guard Certificates of Inspection.

Foreign flag vessels. To the extent that the applicant knows which foreign flag vessel(s) it will be using for other purposes, the application must include evidence of the following:

That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is party to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 74) possesses current valid SOLAS 74 certificates;

That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is not party to SOLAS 74 but is party to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960 (SOLAS 60) possesses current valid SOLAS 60 certificates; and

That any foreign flag vessel whose flag state is not a party to either SOLAS 74 or SOLAS 60 meets all applicable structural and safety requirements contained in the published rules of a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

Supplemental certificates. If the applicant does not know at the time of submitting an application which vessels it will be using, it must submit the applicable certification for each vessel before the cruise on which it will be used.