CHAPTER 109 —PROCEEDINGS ON UNSEAWORTHINESS
§10901. Application
This chapter applies to a vessel of the United States except a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10901 | 46:653 46:654 46:655 46:656 46:658 |
Section 10901 provides that
§10902. Complaints of unfitness
(a)(1) If the chief and second mates or a majority of the crew of a vessel ready to begin a voyage discover, before the vessel leaves harbor, that the vessel is unfit as to crew, hull, equipment, tackle, machinery, apparel, furniture, provisions of food or water, or stores to proceed on the intended voyage and require the unfitness to be inquired into, the master immediately shall apply to the district court of the United States at the place at which the vessel is located, or, if no court is being held at the place at which the vessel is located, to a judge or justice of the peace, for the appointment of surveyors. At least 2 complaining seamen shall accompany the master to the judge or justice of the peace.
(2) A master failing to comply with this subsection is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $500.
(b)(1) Any 3 seamen of a vessel may complain that the provisions of food or water for the crew are, at any time, of bad quality, unfit for use, or deficient in quantity. The complaint may be made to the Secretary, commanding officer of a United States naval vessel, consular officer, or chief official of the Customs Service.
(2) The Secretary, officer, or official shall examine, or have examined, the provisions of food or water. If the provisions are found to be of bad quality, unfit for use, or deficient in quantity, the person making the findings shall certify to the master of the vessel which provisions are of bad quality, unfit for use, or deficient.
(3) The Secretary, officer, or official to whom the complaint was made shall—
(A) make an entry in the official logbook of the vessel on the results of the examination; and
(B) submit a report on the examination to the district court of the United States at which the vessel is to arrive, with the report being admissible into evidence in any legal proceeding.
(4) The master is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of not more than $100 each time the master, on receiving the certification referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection—
(A) does not provide other proper provisions of food or water, when available, in place of the provisions certified as of bad quality or unfit for use;
(B) does not obtain sufficient provisions when the certification includes a finding of a deficiency in quantity; or
(C) uses provisions certified to be of bad quality or unfit for use.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10902(a) | 46:653 |
| 10902(b) | 46:662 |
Section 10902 instructs the crew on making complaints of unfitness of vessel with regard to equipment and provisions, and instructs the master on responding to those complaints, and provides a penalty for violations.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1993—Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2), (3).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see
§10903. Proceedings on examination of vessel
(a) On application made under
(b) On receiving the report, the judge or justice of the peace shall endorse on the report the judgment of the judge or justice on whether the vessel is fit to proceed on the voyage, and, if not, whether the vessel may proceed to another port at which the deficiencies can be corrected. The master and the crew shall comply with the judgment.
(c) The master shall pay all costs of the survey, report, and judgment. However, if the complaint of the crew appears in the report and judgment to have been without foundation, or if the complaint involved provisions of food or water, without reasonable grounds, the master or owner may deduct the amount of the costs and reasonable damages for the detention of the vessel, as determined by the judge or justice of the peace, from the wages of the complaining seamen.
(d) A master of a vessel violating this section who refuses to pay the costs and wages is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $100 and is liable in damages to each person injured by the refusal.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10903(a), (b) | 46:654 |
| 10903(c) | 46:659 |
| 10903(d) | 46:660 |
Section 10903 provides for marine surveyors appointed by a judge or justice of the peace to inspect a vessel on which a complaint of unfitness was made, for a judge or justice of the peace to judge the fitness based on the findings, and for the payment of costs of the inspection by the master or the crew. It also includes a penalty for noncompliance.
§10904. Refusal to proceed
After a judgment under
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10904 | 46:655 |
Section 10904 provides that if a vessel is found fit to proceed by a judge or justice of the peace and a seaman refuses to proceed, the seaman shall forfeit any unpaid wages.
§10905. Complaints in foreign ports
(a) When a complaint under
(b) On review of the marine surveyors' report, the consular officer may approve and must certify any part of the report with which the officer agrees. If the consular officer dissents from any part of the report, the officer shall certify reasons for dissenting from that part.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10905 | 46:656 46:657 |
Section 10905 provides that if a complaint of unfitness is made in a foreign port, a consular officer shall perform the duties of a judge or justice of the peace.
§10906. Discharge of crew for unsuitability
When a survey is made at a foreign port, the surveyors shall state in the report whether, in their opinion, the vessel had been sent to sea unsuitably provided in any important particular, by neglect or design or through mistake or accident. If by neglect or design, and the consular officer approves the finding, the officer shall discharge a seaman requesting discharge and shall require the master to pay one month's wages to that seaman in addition to wages then due, or sufficient money for the return of the seaman to the nearest and most convenient port of the United States, whichever is the greater amount.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10906 | 46:658 |
Section 10906 provides that if a consular officer finds that a vessel has been sent to sea in an unsuitable state, a crew member requesting discharge must be paid one month's additional wages and passage to the United States.
§10907. Permission to make complaint
(a) A master may not refuse to permit, deny the opportunity to, or hinder a seaman who wishes to make a complaint authorized by this chapter.
(b) A master violating this section is liable to the United States Government for civil penalty of $500.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10907 | 46:653 46:664 |
Section 10907 prohibits a master from hindering a seaman from making a complaint authorized by this chapter and subjects the master to a fine for violation of this section.
§10908. Penalty for sending unseaworthy vessel to sea
A person that knowingly sends or attempts to send, or that is a party to sending or attempting to send, a vessel of the United States to sea, in an unseaworthy state that is likely to endanger the life of an individual, shall be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
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| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 10908 | 46:658 |
Section 10908 provides a penalty for a person knowingly sending or attempting to send an unseaworthy vessel to sea.