Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73not60

§8102 Watchmen

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Vessels and Seamen › Part F— Manning of Vessels › Chapter 81— GENERAL › § 8102

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Owners, charterers, or managing operators of passenger vessels must post enough watchmen near cabins and on every deck at night to spot fires and alert others. If they don’t, they face a $1,000 civil penalty to the United States. Owners, charterers, managing operators, agents, masters, or persons in charge of fish-processing vessels over 100 gross tons (measured under 46 U.S.C. 14502 or as prescribed under 46 U.S.C. 14302/14104) must have watchmen trained in firefighting on board during hotwork.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §8102

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(a)The owner, charterer, or managing operator of a vessel carrying passengers during the nighttime shall keep a suitable number of watchmen in the vicinity of the cabins or staterooms and on each deck to guard against and give alarm in case of a fire or other danger. An owner, charterer, or managing operator failing to provide watchmen required by this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $1,000.
(b)The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of a fish processing vessel of more than 100 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title shall keep a suitable number of watchmen trained in firefighting on board when hotwork is being done to guard against and give alarm in case of a fire.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 810246:47046:471 section 8102 requires the person responsible for the management of a vessel carrying passengers to have a suitable watch at night to guard against, and to sound an alarm in case of fire or other danger, or be liable for a civil penalty.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–324 inserted “as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title” after “100 gross tons”. 1984—Pub. L. 98–364 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 8102

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Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60