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

HQ H209099 March 15, 2012 VES-3-02-RR:BSTC:CCI H209099 WRB CATEGORY: Carriers Mr. Bill Beier Wilhelmsen Ships Service 454 W. Coleman Blvd. Suite 1C Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 RE: Coastwise Transportation; 46 U.S.C. § 55103; 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b) Dear Mr. Beier: This letter is in response to your correspondence of March 13, 2012, with respect to the coastwise transportation of an individual. Our ruling is set forth below. FACTS: You ask whether an individual may be transported on the non-coastwise qualified M/T BOW AMERICAS, from Charleston, South Carolina, to Houston, Texas. The subject individual would embark the vessel at Charleston on March 18, 2012, and disembark at Houston on March 27, 2012. The individual is a vessel superintendent who will be carried onboard to check crew education; to verify that crew credentials are in order; to ensure the crew are up to date with safety training and regulations; and, to prepare for vetting inspections at Houston, while the vessel is at sea. ISSUE: Whether the subject individual is a “passenger” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 CFR § 4.50(b). LAW AND ANALYSIS: Generally, the coastwise laws prohibit the transportation of passengers or merchandise between points in the United States embraced within the coastwise laws in any vessel other than a vessel built in, documented under the laws of, and owned by citizens of the United States. Such a vessel, after it has obtained a coastwise endorsement from the U.S. Coast Guard, is said to be “coastwise qualified.” 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. The coastwise law applicable to the carriage of passengers is found in 46 U.S.C. § 55103 (recodified by Pub. L. 109-304, enacted on October 6, 2006) and provides that: (a) In General. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter or chapter 121 of this title, a vessel may not transport passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port, unless the vessel- is wholly owned by citizens of the United States for purposes of engaging in the coastwise trade; and has been issued a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement under chapter 121 or is exempt from documentation but would otherwise be eligible for such a certificate and endorsement. (b) Penalty. The penalty for violating subsection (a) is $300 for each passenger transported and landed. Section 4.50(b), Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) Regulations (19 CFR § 4.50(b)) provides as follows: A passenger within the meaning of this part is any person carried on a vessel who is not connected with the operation, navigation, ownership, or business of the vessel. You state the subject individual will be carried onboard to check crew education; to verify that crew credentials are in order; to ensure the crew are up to date with safety training and regulations; and, to prepare for vetting inspections at Houston, while the vessel is at sea. In accordance with previous Headquarters rulings, workmen, technicians, or observers transported by vessel between ports of the United States are not classified as “passengers” (within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 CFR § 4.50(b)) if they are required to be onboard to contribute to the accomplishment of the operation or navigation of the vessel during the voyage or are onboard because of a necessary vessel ownership or business interest during the voyage. (See HQ 101699 [November 5, 1975]; see also HQ 116721 [September 25, 2006], quoting HQ 101699.)  Furthermore, the shipboard activities engaged in by such aforementioned individuals while traveling on a non-coastwise-qualified vessel between coastwise ports must be “directly and substantially” related to the operation, navigation, ownership, or business of the vessel itself in order for such individuals to not be considered as passengers under these provisions of law. (See HQ 116721, supra; and see HQ 116659 [May 19, 2006], referencing the “direct and substantial” test.) In the present case, we find that the proposed activities described in your request would be directly and substantially connected with the operation of the vessel and we therefore determine that the subject individual is not a “passenger” within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 CFR § 4.50(b). Accordingly, the coastwise transportation of the individual in question would not be 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 CFR § 4.50(b). Therefore, the coastwise transportation of such individual is not in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 55103. Sincerely, George Frederick McCray Supervisory Attorney-Advisor/Chief Cargo Security, Carriers and Immigration Branch Office of International Trade, Regulations & Rulings U.S. Customs and Border Protection