Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102
§30522 Loss by Fire
Title 46 › Subtitle III — Maritime Liability › CHAPTER 305 — EXONERATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY › SUBCHAPTER II — EXONERATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY › § 30522
Summary
A vessel owner does not have to pay for cargo that is lost or damaged by a fire on the vessel. The owner must pay only if the fire happened because of the owner’s bad design of the vessel or because the owner was careless.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §30522
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The owner of a vessel is not liable for loss or damage to merchandise on the vessel caused by a fire on the vessel unless the fire resulted from the design or neglect of the owner.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3050446 App.:182.R.S. § 4282. The words “liable for” are substituted for “liable to answer for or make good to any person”, the words “merchandise on the vessel” are substituted for “any merchandise whatsoever, which shall be shipped, taken in, or put on board any such vessel”, and the words “caused by a fire on the vessel” are substituted for “by reason or by means of any fire happening to or on board the vessel”, to eliminate unnecessary words.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2022—Pub. L. 117–263 renumbered section 30504 of this title as this section.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 30522
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102