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