
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: 46USC3504]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
              Part B--Inspection and Regulation of Vessels
 
                   CHAPTER 35--CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS
 
Sec. 3504. Notification to passengers

    (a) A person selling passage on a foreign or domestic passenger 
vessel having berth or stateroom accommodations for at least 50 
passengers and embarking passengers at United States ports for a 
coastwise or an international voyage shall notify each prospective 
passenger of the safety standards applicable to the vessel in a manner 
prescribed by regulation.
    (b) All promotional literature or advertising through any medium of 
communication in the United States offering passage or soliciting 
passengers for ocean voyages anywhere in the world shall include 
information similar to the information described in subsection (a) of 
this section, and shall specify the registry of each vessel named, as a 
part of the advertisement or description of the voyage. Except for the 
inclusion of the country of registry of the vessel, this subsection does 
not apply to voyages by vessels meeting the safety standards described 
in section 3505 of this title.
    (c) A person violating this section or a regulation prescribed under 
this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil 
penalty of not more than $10,000. If the violation involves the sale of 
tickets for passage, the owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, 
master, individual in charge, or any other person involved in each 
violation also is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of $500 
for each ticket sold. The vessel on which passage is sold also is liable 
in rem for a violation of this section or a regulation prescribed under 
this section.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 519.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3504..............................  46:362(b)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 3504 requires notification to the public of the safety 
standards that are applicable to certain foreign flag or United States 
passenger vessels. In addition, all promotional literature or 
advertising that offers passage or solicits passengers for ocean voyages 
anywhere in the world shall include a safety standard statement and 
shall specify the registry of the vessel. If the vessel meets the 
international standards to which the United States adheres, then the 
safety standard statement need not be included. In all other cases the 
type of safety standard statement that must be included is as prescribed 
by regulation. This section is intended to place the United States 
public on notice as to the degree of fire safety compliance of a 
foreign-flag passenger vessel that does not operate or depart from a 
port or place in the United States but does embark passengers from the 
United States at nearby foreign ports. Departures from foreign ports are 
undertaken because the foreign-flag passenger vessel cannot comply with 
the safety standards applicable to a United States flag passenger 
vessel.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 3503 of this title.
