Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73not60

§353a Operators and Watches on Radiotelephone Equipped Ships

Title 47 › Chapter 5— WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter III— SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO RADIO › Part II— Radio Equipment and Radio Operators On Board Ship › § 353a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Cargo ships that have a radiotelephone on board must have at least one radio operator on the ship. The operator can be the captain, an officer, or another crew member. When a U.S. cargo ship is sailing on the open sea outside a harbor or port, its radio must be kept under continuous watch whenever it is not being used for authorized communications.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §353a

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Each cargo ship which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelephone station shall, for safety purposes, carry at least one operator who may be the master, an officer, or a member of the crew.

(b)Each cargo ship of the United States which in accordance with this part is equipped with a radiotelephone station shall, while being navigated in the open sea outside of a harbor or port, maintain continuous watch whenever the station is not being used for authorized traffic.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1965—Pub. L. 89–121 substituted “radiotelephone station” for “radiotelephone installation” in two places, and “one operator who may be the master, an officer, or a member of the crew” for “one qualified operator who may be a member of the crew holding only a certificate for radio telephony”, inserted “in the open sea” before “outside of a harbor”, and required a continuous watch whenever the station is not being used for authorized traffic.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 353a

Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60