Coast Guard Captain of the Port Order violated, vessel terminated near Tampa

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.