The 53-foot cabin cruiser, Nolina II, underway near the Julia Tuttle Causeway, Dec. 12, 2020. (Coast Guard Photo)
MIAMI — The Coast Guard terminated an illegal charter of the 53-foot cabin cruiser, Nolina II, Saturday near the Julia Tuttle Causeway in Miami.
A Coast Guard Station Miami Beach 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement team conducted a boarding of the Nolina II with 10 people aboard, eight were passengers for hire, operating as an illegal small passenger vessel.
The yacht’s voyage was terminated and cited for the following violations:
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100(a) for not having a valid Certificate of Inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 15.515(b) for not having a credentialed mariner in control while operating a small passenger vessel.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 16.201 for failure to have a drug and alcohol program.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 170.120 for failure to have a valid stability letter.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 15.401 for failure of employee to hire mariner without appropriate merchant mariner credentials.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 180.71 for failure to ensure there are appropriate number of life jackets for persons on board and that life jackets comply with 180.71(a)-(e).
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 67.7 for failure to have a certificate of documentation on a vessel over 5 net tons.
“Before getting underway, ask to see the captain’s credentials, vessel inspection certificate, and safety plan,” said Lt. Jody Stiger, marine investigator at Coast Guard Sector Miami. “Always make sure the charterer signs a bareboat charter agreement and has a copy prior to stepping aboard.”
Owners and operators of illegal passenger vessels can face maximum civil penalties of: $60,000 or over for illegal passenger-for-hire-operations. Charters that violate a Captain of the Port Order can face over $95,000. 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 gross tons.
- Up to $12,219 for failure to have been issued a valid Stability Letter prior to placing vessel in service with more than six passengers for hire.
- Up to $95,881 for every day of failure to comply with a Captain of the Port Order.
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