§357 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

Captains of U.S. ships with radios must send helpful safety reports to nearby ships and to the proper land authorities when they meet dangerous ice, a derelict, a tropical storm, any direct danger to navigation, very cold air with gale‑force winds that causes heavy ice on the ship, or winds of force 10 or more on the Beaufort scale when no storm warning was received. They must follow rules set by the Commission, and U.S. authorities must quickly share the information with those who need it, including foreign authorities. No U.S. ship or mobile radio station may charge for sending, receiving, or relaying those safety messages, even if the report comes from a foreign ship. If a station charges a U.S. ship, the ship can get reimbursed by the Commission. Distress messages about life or property at sea must also be sent free. Stations may also provide other free safety services, like weather, navigation, hydrographic, or medical reports, under Commission rules.

Title 47, §357

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

(a)The master of every ship of the United States, equipped with radio transmitting apparatus, which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, a tropical storm, or any other direct danger to navigation, or encounters subfreezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures, or winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received, shall cause to be transmitted all pertinent information relating thereto to ships in the vicinity and to the appropriate authorities on land, in accordance with rules and regulations issued by the Commission. When they consider it necessary, such authorities of the United States shall promptly bring the information received by them to the knowledge of those concerned, including interested foreign authorities.

(b)No charge shall be made by any ship or station in the mobile service of the United States for the transmission, receipt, or relay of the information designated in subsection (a) originating on a ship of the United States or of a foreign country.

(c)The transmission by any ship of the United States, made in compliance with subsection (a), to any station which imposes a charge for the reception, relay, or forwarding of the required information, shall be free of cost to the ship concerned and any communication charges incurred by the ship for transmission, relay, or forwarding of the information may be certified to the Commission for reimbursement out of moneys appropriated to the Commission for that purpose.

(d)No charge shall be made by any ship or station in the mobile service of the United States for the transmission of distress messages and replies thereto in connection with situations involving the safety of life and property at sea.

(e)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any station or carrier may render free service in connection with situations involving the safety of life and property, including hydrographic reports, weather reports, reports regarding aids to navigation and medical assistance to injured or sick persons on ships and aircraft at sea. All free service permitted by this subsection shall be subject to such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe, which rules may limit such free service to the extent which the Commission finds desirable in the public interest.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1965—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–121 directed the master of every ship of the United States equipped with radio transmitting apparatus which encounters subfreezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures, or winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received to transmit the pertinent information relating thereto.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective

May 20, 1937, see section 16 of act

May 20, 1937, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.

§357 Safety Information