A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg along with a law enforcement team terminated the voyage of a 29-foot personal vessel Friday after determining it violated a Captain of the Port Order near Courtney Campbell Causeway. The vessel had eight passengers-for-hire who paid about $200 upfront for their charter. ( U.S. Coast Guard photo).
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The Coast Guard terminated an illegal charter near the Courtney Campbell Causeway Friday.
A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg 29-foot Response Boat-Small II boat crew, along with Coast Guard Investigating Officers terminated the voyage of a 29-foot illegal passenger vessel that was operating with eight passengers for hire.
As a result of a prior boarding, the vessel was issued a Captain of the Port Order and the owner subsequently assessed a civil penalty.
The violations included:
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100 (a) for not having a valid Certificate of Inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 16.201 for failure to have a drug and alcohol program.
Violation of 33 C.F.R. 160.105 for failure to comply with a Captain of the Port Order.
Owners and operators of illegal passenger vessels can face maximum civil penalties of $60,000 or more for illegal passenger-for-hire-operations. Owners/operators that violate a Captain of the Port Order can face over $95,000 in penalties. Some potential civil penalties for illegally operating a passenger vessel are:
- Up to $7,846 for failure of operators to be enrolled in a chemical testing program.
- Up to $4,888 for failure to provide a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection for vessels carrying more than six passengers for hire.
- Up to $16,687 for failure to produce a valid Certificate of Documentation for vessels over 5 net tons.
- Up to $95,881 for every day of failure to comply with a Captain of the Port Order.
Anyone with information regarding an illegal charter is encouraged to contact Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at (727) 824-7506.
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