Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-102
§3856 Referrals for Appropriate Action by Foreign Country
Title 33 › CHAPTER 51 — CLEAN HULLS › SUBCHAPTER IV — ACTION ON VIOLATION, PENALTIES, AND REFERRALS › § 3856
Summary
If a ship from a country that joined the Convention breaks the rules, the Secretary, working with the Secretary of State, can send the case to that ship’s government for them to deal with instead of using the U.S. actions this part would otherwise allow.
Full Legal Text
Title 33, §3856
Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Notwithstanding section 3851, 3852, 3853, and 3855 of this title, if a violation of the Convention is committed by a vessel registered in or of the nationality of a country that is a party to the Convention, or by a vessel operated under the authority of a country that is a party to the Convention, the Secretary, acting in coordination with the Secretary of State, may refer the matter to the government of the country of the vessel’s registry or nationality, or under whose authority the vessel is operating, for appropriate action, rather than taking the actions otherwise required or authorized by this subchapter.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle D (§§ 1041–1048) of title X of Pub. L. 111–281, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3029, which enacted this subchapter and repealed chapter 37 (§ 2401 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of subtitle D to the Code, see Tables.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
33 U.S.C. § 3856
Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102