Title 46—Shipping--Volume 1
PART 328—SLOP CHESTS
Section 1   What this order does.
In accordance with the provisions of section 11 f the act of Congress approved June 26, 1884, 23 Stat. 56; 46 U.S.C. 670, this order requires all vessels operated by the National Shipping Authority under General Agency Agreement 3-19-51, Amendment 8-65, to be provided with a slop chest subject to all limitations contained in said act.
Sec. 2   General Agent's requirements.
The General Agent shall:
(a) Obtain from the Master, a requisition for slop chest items required for the intended voyage. Purchase for the account of the NSA, from recognized bona fide slop chest suppliers, at prices not in excess of the fair and reasonable level prevailing at the respective domestic ports, only such items and quantities reflecting past experience of actual requirements.
(b) Arrange for delivery on board to the custody of the Master all slop chest items purchased, together with a copy of the vendor's invoice showing items, units, unit cost and totals.
(c) Furnish the Master with a Slop Chest Statement showing on hand at the beginning of each voyage the items, units, unit cost, totals and selling price per unit of each item. The selling price shall approximate but not exceed 110 percent of the reasonable wholesale value of the same at the port at which the voyage commenced. The Slop Chest Statement shall also provide spaces for:
(1) Quantities and total value sold.
(2) Quantities and total cost value on hand, end of voyage.
(3) Quantities of each item required for next voyage.
(d) Submit to the Coast Director in the district in which the General Agent is located, upon termination of each voyage a copy of the Slop Chest Statement obtained from the Master as provided for in section 3(b) of this order and a copy of all invoices for slop chest purchases showing items by brand or trade name, unit cost and total.
(e) Account to the cognizant Coast Director for the purchase, delivery to the Master, receipts from sales, condemnations, transfers and all other transactions in connection with slop chests.
Sec. 3   Master's requirements.
The Master shall:
(a) Receive and receipt for the quantities of slop chest items delivered on board.
(b) Upon the termination of each voyage complete the Slop Chest Statement referred to in section 2(c) of this order, as to quantities and total value sold, quantities and total cost value on hand at end of voyage and quantities of each item required for the next voyage.
(c) Sell, from time to time as specified by him, any of the contents of the slop chest to any or every seaman applying therefor, at the unit price, specified by the Slop Chest Statement furnished the Master by the General Agent as provided in section 2(c) of this order.
(d) Account to the General Agent for all slop chest items received on board, for all receipts and for all other slop chest transactions engaged in during the voyage.
(e) Cause entry to be made in the ship's log authenticated by the person designated by the Master to be in charge of the slop chest, together with signatures of two other witnesses, for all losses sustained due to fire, water or other damage which renders articles unsaleable. Such log entries shall itemize the quantities damaged and the cost thereof.
(f) Submit a detailed written report to the General Agent covering losses incurred due to damage, theft or pilferage of slop chest items. The report shall be submitted at the termination of the voyage during which the damage, theft or pilferage occurred.
(g) Retain on board, all damaged slop chest items, for survey, removal and disposition by the General Agent at a domestic port.
Sec. 4   General provisions.
(a) All slop chest items, damaged or otherwise, shall be removed or transferred only in compliance with applicable regulations dealing with Property Removals.
(b) In the transfer of a vessel from one General Agent to another General Agent the physical transfer of the complete slop chest shall also be accomplished between the respective General Agents. The General Agents participating in such transfer shall complete and have their respective representatives sign, a joint inventory containing the unit cost price and extensions of all slop chest items, a copy of which shall be submitted to the Division of Operations, NSA, Washington, DC 20590, together with a copy of the Slop Chest Statement for the voyage terminated prior to transfer of the vessel. An additional copy of the Slop Chest Statement shall be submitted to the Comptroller's Office, Division of Accounts, Maritime Administration, Washington, DC 20590.
(c) In pricing the contents of the slop chest, the General Agent shall comply with all applicable regulations of the Office of Price Stabilization, Economic Stabilization Agency.
(d) It shall be the responsibility of each General Agent and Master to exercise reasonable care and diligence in the compliance with the Owner's obligations hereunder and in the protection and disposition of slop chest items.
(e) Neither the General Agent nor the Master shall place insurance on the contents of the slop chest purchased for the account of the NSA.
Records and logs referred to in the above order, shall be retained until the completion of the audit by the General Accounting Office, at which time the Maritime Administration will take custody of the records.