Coast Guard Sector Key West investigating officers halted an illegal passenger vessel near Key West, Florida, July 8, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
MIAMI — Coast Guard Sector Key West investigation officers stopped an illegal passenger vessel Friday near Key West.
The 37-foot vessel advertised guided excursions to the Dry Tortugas National Park for up to 12 passengers without a valid Certificate of Inspection as required by 46 CFR 176.100 (a).
The owner attempted to offer the vessel as a bareboat charter, but investigating officers caught the charterer selling spots for passengers-for-hire on Friday’s voyage, which is a separate violation. Investigating officers issued a Captain of the Port Order requiring the vessel to immediately cease future commercial operations until it is in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Illegal passenger vessel owners, operators, and charterers can face maximum penalties of over $60,000 per occurrence.
“Passenger-for-hire operations require an increased level of safety since members of the public are entrusting their lives to professional mariners,” said Lt. Cmdr. Cameron Cooper, chief of prevention, Coast Guard Sector Key West. “Ultimately, we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time on the water, and the best way to do that is to work with professional mariners who meet the required safety standards.”
Owners and operators of illegal passenger vessels can face maximum civil penalties of: $60,000 or more for illegal passenger-for-hire-operations. People who violate a Captain of the Port Order can face over $103,050. Some potential civil penalties for illegally operating a passenger vessel are:
- Up to $8,433 for failure of operators to be enrolled in a chemical testing program.
- Up to $5,254 for failure to provide a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection for vessels less than 1600 gross tons carrying more than six passengers for hire.
- Up to $20,719 for not having a credentialed mariner in control while operating a small passenger vessel.
- Up to $17,935 for failure to produce a valid Certificate of Documentation for vessels over 5 gross tons.
- Up to $13,132 for failure to have appropriate Personal Floatation Devices as required for certificated vessels.
- Up to $103,050 for every day of failure to comply with a Captain of the Port Order.
For more information about bareboat charters, please click here.
Anyone with information regarding an illegal charter is encouraged to contact CGIS here or download their app.
To report potential illegal charters operating in the Florida Keys please contact the Sector Key West Command Center at 305-292-8727. Questions about bareboat charters or passenger vessels please email at SKW@uscg.mil.
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