Title 20, Harbors and Navigation

No vehicle, except emergency vehicles, may be admitted upon any wharf unless the owner or owners thereof have been granted a permit by the Port Director. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

No vegetable or animal matter or goods which are in a state of decay or putrefaction may be placed and left upon any wharf, in the waters, or on the shores of the harbor or upon any reef adjacent to the harbor. No dead animal may be moved through the waters of the harbor. History…

Any person handling goods on a wharf or bringing goods thereon for shipment shall place, store, and stack such goods in such a way as not to be an; impediment to the approaches to the wharf, or an obstacle to the removal of other goods, or cause damage to the wharf. No goods may …

No person may place and leave any rubbish, ashes or refuse on any wharf without permission of the Port Director. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

No person may make, repair, dress, or scrape a spar or mast or do any kind of work on any wharf in connection with repairing or fitting out any boat or vessel without permission of the Port Director. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

Compressed gas cylinders may not be refilled on any wharf, dock, or pier. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

The placing, discharging, or deposition. by any process or in any manner, of refuse, garbage, hatch and deck rubbish, dirt, ashes, cinders, mud, sand, dredgings, sludge, acid or any other matter of any kind other than that flowing from streets and sewer overflow and passing there…

The discharge of oil sludge, oil refuse, fuel oil, or any product which may cause contamination of the water of the harbor, either directly or indirectly, or the pumping of bilges into the water of any harbor, is strictly prohibited. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

(a) Masters of vessels moored alongside a dock are responsible for the cleanliness and appearance of the dock abreast their vessels. (b) If any vessel fails or refuses to keep the dock clean, the Port Director may order the dock cleaned and the cost thereof shall be charged to th…

Any vessel lying alongside any wharf shall at all times comply with instructions of the Director of medical services and of the Port Director relating to the use of rat guards, and other measures required to prevent rodents from leaving the vessel, to the extent that such a regul…

No vessel may be fumigated or smoked at any wharf without permission in writing from the Governor. If fumigation is to be with cyanogen products or hydrocyanic acid gas in any form, however generated, the applicant or his agent shall be in possession of a permit from the Director…

In the event of fire occurring on board any vessel in port, except vessels under way, such vessel shall sound 5 prolonged blasts of the whistle or siren as an alarm indicating fire on board at the dock to which the vessel is moored. Such signal shall be repeated at intervals to a…

Where insulated wire cables are in the path of traffic, they shall be protected from breakdown damage by crossovers, and, where they lead onto the ship, they shall be protected from chafing damage by a protective wrapped covering. Where electric cables lead from one ship to anoth…

(a) All handling and loading or unloading of explosives shall be done in a safe and careful manner and shall be in accordance with the federal regulations pertinent thereto in force at the time. (b) Other cargo may not be removed concurrently with explosive cargo. (c) All hauling…

Vessels carrying explosive or highly inflammable material shall be moored at the discretion of port authorities. On entering the harbor, and while explosive or highly inflammable material is on board, vessels shall in the daytime carry a red flag, international code B, at the for…

No combustible materials, such as pitch, tar, resin or oil, may be flame heated on board any vessel within the harbor without permission of the Port Director. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

No empty containers which have been used to hold inflammable liquids may be delivered onto any wharf or structure unless the same are securely closed with metal screw plugs. Such containers shall be delivered onto a wharf or structure only at such times as a carrier is prepared t…

Loading or unloading of any liquid which gives off an inflammable vapor (as determined by Tagliabue’s Open Cup Tester as used for test of burning oils) at or below a temperature of 80’ F. in bulk or in containers is forbidden unless or until the following precautions have been ta…

(a) Before any welding or burning operation can be done on a wharf or waterfront facility, or on a vessel moored thereto, the party intending to do such work shall first secure a permit from the Port Director. Applicants for permits to perform such operations shall fill out fully…

Before any welding, burning, or spark- or flame-producing operations are undertaken aboard any ship, dock, wharf, or waterfront facilities, all spaces subject to the accumulation of dangerous gas or gas-producing materials, in or on which work is to be performed, and such other s…

(a) All welding or burning operations shall be under the supervision and control of a comp-etent foreman or supervisor who shall see that all regulations pertaining to welding or burning operations are fulfilled in their entirety. (b) All combustible materials are to be removed f…

(a) Welding or burning operations shall not be conducted around hatches or companion-ways unless they are sealed with their own cover or door. In the event this is not possible, an asbestos blanket or other flameproof material may be provided in their place. Such substitution sha…

(a) Water-charged fire mains, with hose and nozzle attached, and the hose of sufficient length so that water can reach the base of any fire which may occur, shall be on each deck of the ship where welding or burning operations are being conducted. (b) Sufficient trained fire watc…

Compressed gas cylinders, when used in welding or burning operations, shall be used in a vertical position only and shall be secured at all times to prevent falling. When cylinders are not in use, valves should be closed and protection caps replaced. History: 1962, PL 7-27.

Rapid response and immediate and decisive action are critical to oil spill removal or containment, just as with response to a natural disaster such as fire, cyclone or earthquake. In any of these circumstances responders must take immediate action based on very limited informatio…

It is the intention of the Legislature of American Samoa to make American Samoa law consistent with new Federal oil spill legislation that provides limited immunity from liability for removal costs and damages for those persons responding to an oil spill or threat of an oil spill…

This act shall be known as the American Samoa Oil Spill Responder Act. History: 1993, PL 23-7.

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) “Damages” means damages of any kind for which liability may exist under the laws of American Samoa or the common law resulting from, arising out of, or related to the discharge or threatened of oil. (2) “…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person (including but not limited to an oil spill response organization) is not liable under the laws of American Samoa or the common law to any person for removal costs, or damages and other claims and expenses which result from …