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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102

§3504 Notification to Passengers

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part B — Inspection and Regulation of Vessels › CHAPTER 35 — CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS › § 3504

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Sellers must tell each person buying passage on a passenger ship with berths or staterooms for at least 50 people that leaves U.S. ports for coastwise or international trips about the safety standards that apply to that ship, in the way the rules require. Any U.S. ad or promotion offering ocean voyages must include the same safety info and must name each ship’s country of registry. If a ship meets the safety standards in section 3505, the ad only has to show the country of registry. Breaking these rules can bring fines. The government can fine up to $10,000. If tickets were sold, owners or others involved can be fined $500 for each ticket. The ship itself can also be held responsible.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §3504

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A person selling passage on a foreign or domestic passenger vessel having berth or stateroom accommodations for at least 50 passengers and embarking passengers at United States ports for a coastwise or an international voyage shall notify each prospective passenger of the safety standards applicable to the vessel in a manner prescribed by regulation.
(b)All promotional literature or advertising through any medium of communication in the United States offering passage or soliciting passengers for ocean voyages anywhere in the world shall include information similar to the information described in subsection (a) of this section, and shall specify the registry of each vessel named, as a part of the advertisement or description of the voyage. Except for the inclusion of the country of registry of the vessel, this subsection does not apply to voyages by vessels meeting the safety standards described in section 3505 of this title.
(c)A person violating this section or a regulation prescribed under this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000. If the violation involves the sale of tickets for passage, the owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, individual in charge, or any other person involved in each violation also is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of $500 for each ticket sold. The vessel on which passage is sold also is liable in rem for a violation of this section or a regulation prescribed under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 350446:362(b) section 3504 requires notification to the public of the safety standards that are applicable to certain foreign flag or United States passenger vessels. In addition, all promotional literature or advertising that offers passage or solicits passengers for ocean voyages anywhere in the world shall include a safety standard statement and shall specify the registry of the vessel. If the vessel meets the international standards to which the United States adheres, then the safety standard statement need not be included. In all other cases the type of safety standard statement that must be included is as prescribed by regulation. This section is intended to place the United States public on notice as to the degree of fire safety compliance of a foreign-flag passenger vessel that does not operate or depart from a port or place in the United States but does embark passengers from the United States at nearby foreign ports. Departures from foreign ports are undertaken because the foreign-flag passenger vessel cannot comply with the safety standards applicable to a United States flag passenger vessel.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 3504

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102