
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 46USC11501]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
              Part G--Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief
 
                   CHAPTER 115--OFFENSES AND PENALTIES
 
Sec. 11501. Penalties for specified offenses

    When a seaman lawfully engaged commits any of the following 
offenses, the seaman shall be punished as specified:
        (1) For desertion, the seaman forfeits any part of the money or 
    property the seaman leaves on board and any part of earned wages.
        (2) For neglecting or refusing without reasonable cause to join 
    the seaman's vessel or to proceed to sea in the vessel, for absence 
    without leave within 24 hours of the vessel's sailing from a port 
    (at the beginning or during the voyage), or for absence without 
    leave from duties and without sufficient reason, the seaman forfeits 
    from the seaman's wages not more than 2 days' pay or a sufficient 
    amount to defray expenses incurred in hiring a substitute.
        (3) For quitting the vessel without leave after the vessel's 
    arrival at the port of delivery and before the vessel is placed in 
    security, the seaman forfeits from the seaman's wages not more than 
    one month's pay.
        (4) For willful disobedience to a lawful command at sea, the 
    seaman, at the discretion of the master, may be confined until the 
    disobedience ends, and on arrival in port forfeits from the seaman's 
    wages not more than 4 days' pay or, at the discretion of the court, 
    may be imprisoned for not more than one month.
        (5) For continued willful disobedience to lawful command or 
    continued willful neglect of duty at sea, the seaman, at the 
    discretion of the master, may be confined, on water and 1,000 
    calories, with full rations every 5th day, until the disobedience 
    ends, and on arrival in port forfeits, for each 24 hours' 
    continuance of the disobedience or neglect, not more than 12 days' 
    pay or, at the discretion of the court, may be imprisoned for not 
    more than 3 months.
        (6) For assaulting a master, mate, pilot, engineer, or staff 
    officer, the seaman shall be imprisoned for not more than 2 years.
        (7) For willfully damaging the vessel, or embezzling or 
    willfully damaging any of the stores or cargo, the seaman forfeits 
    from the seaman's wages the amount of the loss sustained and, at the 
    discretion of the court, may be imprisoned for not more than 12 
    months.
        (8) For smuggling for which a seaman is convicted causing loss 
    or damage to the owner or master, the seaman is liable to the owner 
    or master for the loss or damage, and any part of the seaman's wages 
    may be retained to satisfy the liability. The seaman also may be 
    imprisoned for not more than 12 months.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 582.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11501.............................  46:701
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 11501 provides penalties for specific offenses committed by 
seamen.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 11502 of this title.
