Coastwise Transportation; 46 U.S.C. § 55103; 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b)

HQ H082416 October 30, 2009 VES-3-02-OT:RR:BSTC:CCI H082416 JLB CATEGORY: Carriers Mr. Mahendra Gautam Maersk Line Limited One Commercial Place-20th Floor Norfolk, Virginia 23510 RE: Coastwise Transportation; 46 U.S.C. § 55103; 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b) Dear Mr. Gautam: This letter is in response to your correspondence dated October 29, 2009, in which you request a ruling on whether the coastwise transportation of the individual mentioned therein aboard the MAERSK GEORGIA, the MAERSK MISSOURI, and the MAERSK CAROLINA constitutes a violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. Our ruling on your request follows. FACTS The voyages in question involve the transportation of the subject individual aboard the non-coastwise-qualified MAERSK GEORGIA, MAERSK MISSOURI, and MAERSK CAROLINA (“the vessels”). The individual will embark the MAERSK GEORGIA on November 2, 2009 at Newark, New Jersey and will disembark at the port of Charleston, South Carolina on November 4, 2009. The individual will embark the MAERSK MISSOURI on November 16, 2009 at Newark, New Jersey and will disembark at Charleston on November 18, 2009. Finally, the individual will embark the MAERSK CAROLINA on December 14 at Newark and disembark on December 16 at Charleston. During all three voyages, the individual will travel aboard the vessel to perform Class annual surveys necessary to endorse the class certificates. ISSUE Whether the individual described above would be a “passenger” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b)? LAW AND ANALYSIS The coastwise passenger statute, former 46 U.S.C. App. § 289 recodified as 46 U.S.C. § 55103, pursuant to P.L. 109-304 (October 6, 2006), states that no foreign vessel shall transport passengers “between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or by way of a foreign port,” under a penalty of $300 for each passenger so transported and landed. See also 19 C.F.R. § 4.80(b)(2). The coastwise laws generally apply to points in the territorial sea, which is defined as the belt, three nautical miles wide, seaward of the territorial sea baseline, and to points located in internal waters, landward of the territorial sea baseline. Under 46 U.S.C. § 55103, a “passenger” is any person carried aboard a vessel “who is not connected with the operation of the vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business.” See also 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). In this regard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) provides a strict interpretation of “passenger” defining the term as persons transported on a vessel unless they are "directly and substantially" connected with the operation, navigation, ownership or business of that vessel itself. See Customs Bulletin of June 5, 2002, Vol. 36, No. 23, at pp. 50. Pursuant to Headquarters Ruling Letter 101699, dated November 5, 1975, it is well settled that "workmen, technicians, or observers transported by vessel between ports of the United States are not classified as ‘passengers’ within the meaning of section 4.50(b) and section 289 [now section 55103] if they are required to be on board to contribute to the accomplishment of the operation or navigation of the vessel during the voyage or are on board because of a necessary vessel ownership or business interest during the voyage." See also Headquarters Ruling Letter 116721, dated September 25, 2006. In the present case, the individual would be traveling aboard the non-coastwise-qualified vessels to perform Class annual surveys. Under the facts presented, the individual would be “directly and substantially” related to the operation and business of the vessels during the voyages and would not be considered a “passenger” under 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). Consequently, the coastwise transportation of the subject individual is not in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. HOLDING The subject individual is not a “passenger” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b). Therefore, the coastwise transportation of such an individual is not in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. Sincerely, Glen E. Vereb, Chief Cargo Security, Carriers and Immigration Branch