§357 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

The captain of any U.S. ship that has a radio must send out safety reports when the ship meets dangerous ice, a drifting hazard, a tropical storm, other direct dangers to navigation, very cold gale winds that build heavy ice on the ship, or winds of force 10 or higher on the Beaufort scale when no storm warning was received. Those reports must go to nearby ships and to the proper land authorities under rules made by the Commission. The land authorities must quickly tell anyone who needs the information, including foreign officials, when they think it is needed. U.S. ships and U.S. mobile radio stations must not charge for sending, receiving, or relaying those safety messages (including distress messages and replies). If a station normally charges to receive or forward a required message, the sending ship pays nothing and can ask the Commission to be repaid from its allotted funds. Stations may also provide other safety-related services for free (like weather, hydrographic, navigation-aid, or medical help), but the Commission can set rules and limits for such free services.

Title 47, §357

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The master of every ship of the United States, equipped with radio transmitting apparatus, which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, a tropical storm, or any other direct danger to navigation, or encounters subfreezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures, or winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received, shall cause to be transmitted all pertinent information relating thereto to ships in the vicinity and to the appropriate authorities on land, in accordance with rules and regulations issued by the Commission. When they consider it necessary, such authorities of the United States shall promptly bring the information received by them to the knowledge of those concerned, including interested foreign authorities.

(b)No charge shall be made by any ship or station in the mobile service of the United States for the transmission, receipt, or relay of the information designated in subsection (a) originating on a ship of the United States or of a foreign country.

(c)The transmission by any ship of the United States, made in compliance with subsection (a), to any station which imposes a charge for the reception, relay, or forwarding of the required information, shall be free of cost to the ship concerned and any communication charges incurred by the ship for transmission, relay, or forwarding of the information may be certified to the Commission for reimbursement out of moneys appropriated to the Commission for that purpose.

(d)No charge shall be made by any ship or station in the mobile service of the United States for the transmission of distress messages and replies thereto in connection with situations involving the safety of life and property at sea.

(e)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any station or carrier may render free service in connection with situations involving the safety of life and property, including hydrographic reports, weather reports, reports regarding aids to navigation and medical assistance to injured or sick persons on ships and aircraft at sea. All free service permitted by this subsection shall be subject to such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe, which rules may limit such free service to the extent which the Commission finds desirable in the public interest.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1965—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–121 directed the master of every ship of the United States equipped with radio transmitting apparatus which encounters subfreezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures, or winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received to transmit the pertinent information relating thereto.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective

May 20, 1937, see section 16 of act

May 20, 1937, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.

§357 Safety information