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Title 46 — ShippingRelease 119-73not60

§8107 Use of Force Against Piracy

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Vessels and Seamen › Part F— Manning of Vessels › Chapter 81— GENERAL › § 8107

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Owners, operators, charterers, captains, crew, or anyone who uses or allows force to protect a U.S. ship from piracy do not have to pay money for injuries or deaths caused to those committing the pirate attack, as long as the force follows the self‑defense rules set by the Secretary in charge of the Coast Guard. That Secretary must work through the International Maritime Organization to get other countries to act together to prevent and respond to piracy and to adopt similar limits on liability. "Act of piracy" means an attempted attack, seizure, search, restraint, or robbery of a U.S. vessel on the high seas by someone not authorized by the U.S., a foreign government, or a U.S.-recognized international law body.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §8107

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)An owner, operator, time charterer, master, mariner, or individual who uses force or authorizes the use of force to defend a vessel of the United States against an act of piracy shall not be liable for monetary damages for any injury or death caused by such force to any person engaging in an act of piracy if such force was in accordance with standard rules for the use of force in self-defense of vessels prescribed by the Secretary.
(b)To carry out the purpose of this section, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall work through the International Maritime Organization to establish agreements to promote coordinated action among flag- and port-states to deter, protect against, and rapidly respond to piracy against the vessels of, and in the waters under the jurisdiction of, those nations, and to ensure limitations on liability similar to those established by subsection (a).
(c)For the purpose of this section, the term “act of piracy” means any act of aggression, search, restraint, depredation, or seizure attempted against a vessel of the United States by an individual not authorized by the United States, a foreign government, or an international organization recognized by the United States to enforce law on the high seas.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Standard Rules for the Use of Force for Self-Defense of Vessels of the United States Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 912(c), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3017, provided that: “Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this act [Oct. 15, 2010], the secretary [sic] of the department in which the coast guard [sic] is operating, in consultation with representatives of industry and labor, shall develop standard rules for the use of force for self-defense of vessels of the United States.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 8107

Title 46 — Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60