{"id":2211,"date":"2018-09-10T14:14:17","date_gmt":"2018-09-10T18:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"\/?page_id=2211"},"modified":"2022-11-17T15:16:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-17T19:16:04","slug":"passenger-vessel-operators","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"\/resources-services\/passenger-vessel-operators\/","title":{"rendered":"Passenger Vessel Operators"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Passenger Vessel Operators<\/h1>\n<p>Passenger Vessel Operators (PVOs) subject to FMC regulations are cruise lines that operate vessels having berth or stateroom accommodations for 50 or more passengers that embark passengers at U.S. ports.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Proof of<\/strong> Financial<strong> Responsibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Proof of financial responsibility is\u00a0required for PVOs to qualify for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/chapter-IV\/subchapter-B\/part-540\/subpart-A#540.7\">issuance of a Performance Certificate<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR\u00a0\u00a7\u00a0540.7) and is\u00a0required for PVOs to qualify for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/chapter-IV\/subchapter-B\/part-540\/subpart-B\/section-540.25\">issuance of a Casualty Certificate<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7\u00a0540.25).\u00a0The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security is <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title46-section44105&num=0&edition=prelim\">required to refuse clearance<\/a>\u00a0(46 USC \u00a7 44105) of a vessel at a port or place of departure from the United States that does not have FMC-issued, Performance and Casualty Certificates evidencing that the PVO has obtained the required financial coverage in compliance with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?path=\/prelim@title46\/subtitle4\/partC\/chapter441&edition=prelim\">Public Law 89-77<\/a>\u00a0(46 USC Chapter 441) and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/chapter-IV\/subchapter-B\/part-540\">FMC\u2019s PVO regulations<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7 540).<\/p>\n<h2>PVO<strong> Performance Certificates<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A PVO must apply for and obtain a FMC-issued Performance Certificate before advertising or booking passengers on a cruise embarking passengers at U.S. ports. The actual coverage amount is determined by the Commission\u00a0(currently capped at $32 million). PVOs that hold FMC Performance Certificates are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/chapter-IV\/subchapter-B\/part-540#540.9\">required to provide unearned passenger revenue reports<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7 540.9)\u00a0to the Commission. Performance Certificates:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>serve as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/part-540\/subpart-A\">evidence that the PVO has on file with the Commission acceptable coverage<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR Part 540 Subpart A) to satisfy any liability incurred for failure to perform the cruise<\/li>\n<li>are used to reimburse cruise passengers for the water portion of their fare and all other accommodations, services and facilities relating thereto<\/li>\n<li>evidence\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/part-540\/subpart-A#540.5\">financial responsibility\u00a0established by insurance, guaranties, and escrow account<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7 540.5), or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/part-540\/subpart-A#540.6\">by surety bond<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7 540.6)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>PVO<strong> Casualty Certificates<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A PVO must apply for and obtain a FMC-issued Casualty Certificate before embarking passengers at U.S. ports. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/chapter-IV\/subchapter-B\/part-540\/subpart-B#540.24\">coverage amount is based on the number of passenger accommodations aboard the vessel<\/a>\u00a0(46 CFR \u00a7\u00a0540.24). Casualty Certificates:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>are used to meet liability incurred for death or injury to passengers or other persons on voyages to or from U.S. ports<\/li>\n<li>evidence financial responsibility established by insurance, surety bond, self-insurance, guaranty, and escrow account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Application Process for Evidencing Financial Responsibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>An application for a performance certificate must be submitted at least 60 days in advance of arranging, offering, advertising or providing any water transportation or tickets for a cruise embarking passengers from U.S. ports (whichever is earlier). An application for a casualty certificate must be submitted at least 60 days prior to sailing from a U.S. port.<\/li>\n<li>To apply for either certificate, submit <a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-131_05-2017.pdf\">Form FMC-131<\/a>: Application for Certificate of Financial Responsibility, to the Commission with\u00a0<a href=\"\/resources-services\/summary-of-fees\/\">the appropriate fee for a Performance Certificate<\/a>\u00a0and\/ or\u00a0<a href=\"\/resources-services\/summary-of-fees\/\">the appropriate fee for a Casualty Certificate<\/a>. Make your check payable to the Federal Maritime Commission and submit to the\u00a0<a href=\"\/about-the-fmc\/bureaus-offices\/bureau-of-certification-and-licensing\/\">Bureau of Certification and Licensing<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Applications may be hand-delivered during normal Commission business hours:\u00a08:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or mailed to:\u00a0Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, Room 1046, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20573.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"brdrcont\">\n<h2>Contact Information<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Office of<\/strong> Passenger<strong> Vessel and Information Processing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Phone: 202-523-5818<\/p>\n<p>Fax: 202-566-5830<\/p>\n<p>E-mail: <a href=\"mailto:pvo@fmc.gov\">pvo@fmc.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"brdrcont\">\n<h3>Related Links<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"\/resources-services\/cruise-passenger-assistance\/\">Cruise Passenger Assistance<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/about-the-fmc\/fmc-regulations-statutes\/\">Regulations and Statutes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"brdrcont\">\n<h3>Forms & Applications<\/h3>\n<p>Application for Certificate of Financial Responsibility (<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-131_05-2017.pdf\">Form FMC-131<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Federal Maritime Commission Passenger Vessel Surety Bond (<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-132A-_05-2017.pdf\">FMC-132A<\/a>)\u00a0and (<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-132B_05-2017.pdf\">FMC-132B<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Federal Maritime Commission Guaranty in Respect of Liability for Nonperformance (<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-133A_05-2017.pdf\">FMC-133A<\/a>) and (<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/FMC-133B_05-2017.pdf\">FMC-133B<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Passenger Vessel Operators Passenger Vessel Operators (PVOs) subject to FMC regulations are cruise lines that operate vessels having berth or stateroom accommodations for 50 or more passengers that embark passengers at U.S. ports. Proof of Financial Responsibility Proof of financial responsibility is\u00a0required for PVOs to qualify for issuance of a... <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"\/resources-services\/passenger-vessel-operators\/\">Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":2050,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2211"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2211"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7259,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2211\/revisions\/7259"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}