Title 33Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§1471 Definitions

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - POLLUTION CASUALTIES ON THE HIGH SEAS: UNITED STATES INTERVENTION › § 1471

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. "a substance other than convention oil" is oils, harmful substances, liquefied gases, or radioactive materials listed in the protocol or later declared hazardous under section 1473(a). "convention" is the 1969 International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, with its annexes. "convention oil" is crude oil, fuel oil, diesel oil, and lubricating oil. "Secretary" is the Secretary of the department that operates the Coast Guard. "ship" is any seagoing vessel or floating craft, but not installations or devices that explore or exploit seabed or ocean floor resources. "protocol" is the 1973 Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Marine Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil, with its annexes. "United States" includes the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and any other U.S. commonwealth, territory, or possession.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1471

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this chapter—
(1)“a substance other than convention oil” means those oils, noxious substances, liquefied gases, and radioactive substances—
(A)enumerated in the protocol, or
(B)otherwise determined to be hazardous under section 1473(a) of this title;
(2)“convention” means the International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969, including annexes thereto;
(3)“convention oil” means crude oil, fuel oil, diesel oil, and lubricating oil;
(4)“Secretary” means the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating;
(5)“ship” means—
(A)a seagoing vessel of any type whatsoever, and
(B)any floating craft, except an installation or device engaged in the exploration and exploitation of the resources of the seabed and the ocean floor and the subsoil thereof;
(6)“protocol” means the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Marine Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil, 1973, including annexes thereto; and
(7)“United States” means the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in par. (7), see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Amendments

1978—Pub. L. 95–302 in cl. (1) substituted definition of “a substance other than convention oil” for definition of “ship”, in cl. (2) substituted definition of “convention” for definition of “oil”, in cl. (3) substituted definition of “convention oil” for definition of “convention”, in cl. (5) substituted definition of “ship” for definition of “United States”, and added cls. (6) and (7).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1978 AmendmentFor

Effective Date

of amendment by Pub. L. 95–302, see section 2 of Pub. L. 95–302, set out as a note under section 1487 of this title.

Short Title

Pub. L. 93–248, § 1, Feb. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 8, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Intervention on the High Seas Act’.”

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1471

Title 33Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73