Title 54, Ports and Maritime Matters

The number of pilots shall not be less than the number established by the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Upper and Lower Coastal Areas for the specific routes through regulations promulgated in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act. The board shall m…

The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Upper and Lower Coastal Areas shall promulgate regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act for the administration of pilotage within the ports of their respective areas. The regulations must include, but ar…

The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for each port shall register all licensed pilots for their respective ports with the necessary data to be shown on the register as the commissioners may deem necessary and appropriate and keep the register up to date, making those chan…

The pilot ground of the bar of Charleston shall extend from the bar thirty miles eastward, southward, and northward. Pilot boats shall normally cruise in an area designated by the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Lower Coastal Area.

All boats used in the pilotage for the port and harbor of Charleston shall be entirely and absolutely subject to the inspection, direction, and approval of the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Lower Coastal Area.

All boats used for pilotage at Charleston, Port Royal, and Georgetown shall be used exclusively for pilotage, except that the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage may grant temporary permission for those other uses as they deem appropriate. To establish their identity, all pi…

(A) The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Upper Coastal Area must be appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of a majority of the Legislative Delegation of Georgetown County and shall serve for three years and until their successors are appointed and qua…

Except for reasons of health, satisfactory evidence of which shall be furnished to the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage when requested, no licensed pilot or apprentice shall discontinue to act nor absent himself at any time from the port and harbor to which he may belong …

Every pilot cruising or standing out to sea shall offer his services first to the vessel nearest the bar unless specifically ordered to the contrary by the authorized official of the group of licensed pilots on duty at the time and except when he sees a more distant vessel in dis…

A licensed pilot, if required by the master or commander of a vessel, shall remain on board while the vessel is at anchor. Any pilot neglecting or refusing to comply with a request to remain on board may have his license suspended or revoked by the South Carolina Commissioners of…

Every master of an outward bound vessel who shall engage a pilot for an appointed time of departure shall have his vessel in readiness for sailing at such time and every master of a vessel who shall detain a pilot beyond the time appointed so that he cannot proceed to sea althoug…

If any master or commander of a vessel shall carry off any of the pilots, he shall allow that pilot the daily rate specified under the provisions of Section 54-15-290 for each and every day during his absence and supply him with provisions and other necessities in the same manner…

In case of war no pilot shall bring in or furnish supplies to any armed vessel belonging to an enemy at war with the United States or carry out any armed vessel to that enemy, without being ordered to do so by the constituted authorities of the United States. Every pilot violatin…

All vessels entering into the pilotage area of a port for the purpose of entering the port, except United States vessels engaged in coastwise trade having on board a pilot licensed by the United States Coast Guard for that area and United States vessels under one hundred net regi…

No person shall be authorized or permitted to conduct and pilot any vessel, except those excepted in Section 54-15-270, over the bar, into, out of, or within the harbor of any port, unless the person shall be a then currently licensed pilot and no branch pilot shall be authorized…

All rates and fees for all pilotage services for each port shall be fixed by the Commissioners of Pilotage for the port and the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage shall require the pilots to have printed and made available to all interested parties a published schedule of r…

The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Upper Coastal Area shall elect annually from among its body a chairman and a secretary. The officers shall serve until their successors have been duly elected. But no branch or licensed pilot for Georgetown shall be elected or …

(A) On the occasion of any marine disaster or if the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage having jurisdiction has reason to believe that a pilot has violated a provision of this chapter or a regulation promulgated under this chapter or if a person files a written complaint wi…

(A) The results of an investigation must be presented to the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage having jurisdiction. The commissioners, in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, may take disciplinary action authorized by Section 40-1-120. The commissioners may d…

(A) Upon a determination by the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the respective area that one or more of the grounds for discipline exists, the Commissioners of Pilotage having jurisdiction may: (1) issue a public reprimand; (2) impose a fine not to exceed five hundre…

A person aggrieved by a final action of the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the respective area may appeal the decision to the Administrative Law Court in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act and the rules of the Administrative Law Court. Service of a pe…

(A) In an order issued in resolution of a disciplinary proceeding before the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage having jurisdiction, a pilot found in violation of this chapter may be directed to pay a sum not to exceed the reasonable costs of investigation, inspection, and …

A licensed ship's pilot is not liable for damages in excess of five thousand dollars for damages or loss occasioned by the pilot's errors, omissions, fault, or neglect in the performance of pilotage services, except for wilful misconduct or reckless disregard for safety by the pi…

When a pilot boards a vessel he becomes a servant of the vessel and its owner and operator. Nothing in this chapter exempts the vessel, its owner, or operator from liability for damage or loss occasioned by the ship to a person or property on the ground that the ship was piloted …

There is created the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Lower Coastal Area composed of eight members, one of whom is the Chairman of the South Carolina State Ports Authority, ex officio, or a board member designated by the chairman, one of whom is the president of t…

The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Upper Coastal Area and surrounding jurisdiction shall organize a board of examination to consist of three nautical men, at least one of whom shall be a full branch pilot of the port to which they belong. Each such board shall e…

(A) The South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage for the Lower Coastal Area and surrounding jurisdiction shall organize a board of examiners for the commission of three nautical men, at least one of whom must be licensed for the port under Sections 54-15-120 and 54-15-130. No one…

The Commissioners of Pilotage for each area shall set by regulation a fee calculated to defray the expenses of examination, licensing, and issuing any certification under Chapter 15 of Title 54.

Apprentices for the Upper Coastal Area must be taken by full branch pilots only with the approval of the South Carolina Commissioners of Pilotage Upper Coastal Area and shall serve two years in Georgetown before receiving an initial short branch license. An apprentice must be tak…