PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Every inspected passenger vessel (not a ferry) must have a certificate that shows the exact number of passengers it may carry. If a boat carries more people than that number, the owner, charterer, manager, agent, captain, or person in charge must pay back the passenger's fare and $100 for each extra passenger to anyone who sues them. If they knowingly carry too many people, they can be fined up to $100, jailed for up to 30 days, or both. The vessel itself is also responsible for the penalty. Offshore supply vessels may not carry passengers except in an emergency.

Title 46, §3501

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(a)Each certificate of inspection issued to a vessel carrying passengers (except a ferry) shall include a statement on the number of passengers that the vessel is permitted to carry.

(b)The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of a vessel is liable to a person suing them for carrying more passengers than the number of passengers permitted by the certificate of inspection in an amount equal to—

(1)passage money; and

(2)$100 for each passenger in excess of the number of passengers permitted.

(c)An owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of a vessel that knowingly carries more passengers than the number of passengers permitted by the certificate of inspection also shall be fined not more than $100, imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both.

(d)The vessel also is liable in rem for a penalty under this section.

(e)An offshore supply vessel may not carry passengers except in an emergency.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 350146:404–146:45146:45246:462 section 3501 requires that a vessel carrying passengers, including a passenger vessel as well as a small passenger vessel (except a ferry), shall have on the certificate of inspection a statement as to the number of passengers the vessel is permitted to carry. It also provides penalties for carrying passengers in excess of the number permitted.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1985—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–36, § 1(a)(2)(A), struck out the comma after “(except a ferry)”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–36, § 1(a)(2)(B), substituted “carries more passengers than the number of passengers permitted by the certificate of inspection” for “violates subsection (b) of this section”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Chapter effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title.

§3501 Number of Passengers