Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110

§30501 Definitions

Title 46 › Subtitle III — Maritime Liability › CHAPTER 305 — EXONERATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 30501

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines two terms used in this chapter. "Covered small passenger vessel" means a small passenger vessel that is not a wing‑in‑ground craft and that carries up to 49 passengers on overnight domestic voyages and up to 150 on other voyages; it also includes wooden vessels built before March 11, 1996, that carry at least one paying passenger. "Owner" includes a charterer who mans, supplies, and runs the vessel at the charterer's expense or by hiring others.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §30501

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:
(1)Covered small passenger vessel.—
The term “covered small passenger vessel”—
(A)means a small passenger vessel, as defined in section 2101, that is—
(i)not a wing-in-ground craft; and
(ii)carrying—
(I)not more than 49 passengers on an overnight domestic voyage; and
(II)not more than 150 passengers on any voyage that is not an overnight domestic voyage; and
(B)includes any wooden vessel constructed prior to March 11, 1996, carrying at least 1 passenger for hire.
(2)Owner.—
The term “owner” includes a charterer that mans, supplies, and navigates a vessel at the charterer’s own expense or by the charterer’s own procurement.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3050146 App.:186.R.S. § 4286. The words “In this chapter” are substituted for “within the meaning of the provisions of title 48 of the Revised Statutes relating to the limitation of the liability of the owners of vessels” because of the codification of title 46, United States Code. The word “supplies” is substituted for “victual” for clarity. The words “and such vessel, when so chartered, shall be liable in the same manner as if navigated by the owner thereof” are omitted as unnecessary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–263 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In this chapter, the term ‘owner’ includes a charterer that mans, supplies, and navigates a vessel at the charterer’s own expense or by the charterer’s own procurement.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 30501

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110