Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102
§30103 Liability of Master, Mate, Engineer, and Pilot
Title 46 › Subtitle III — Maritime Liability › CHAPTER 301 — GENERAL LIABILITY PROVISIONS › § 30103
Summary
You may sue a ship’s master, mate, engineer, or pilot for injury or loss caused by their negligence or by breaking navigation laws.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §30103
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
A person may bring a civil action against a master, mate, engineer, or pilot of a vessel, and recover damages, for personal injury or loss caused by the master’s, mate’s, engineer’s, or pilot’s—
(1)negligence or willful misconduct; or
(2)neglect or refusal to obey the laws governing the navigation of vessels.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3010346 App.:491 (words after semicolon).R.S. § 4493 (words after semicolon). Before paragraph (1), the words “bring a civil action” are substituted for “sue” for consistency with rule 2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (28 App. U.S.C.). In paragraph (1), the word “carelessness” is omitted as included in “negligence”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 30103
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102