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passing vessels by radio and other available means of the ice conditions and 
the extent of the dangerous region. During the ice season, there shall be 
maintained a service of study of ice and current conditions, a service of pro-
viding assistance to vessels and crews requiring assistance, and a service of 
removing and destroying derelicts. Any of these services may be maintained 
during the remainder of the year as may be advisable. 
‘‘(b) WARNINGS TO VESSELS.—An ice patrol vessel shall warn any vessel 
known to be approaching a dangerous area and recommend safe routes. 
‘‘(c) RECORDING AND REPORTING INCIDENTS.— 
‘‘(1) RECORDING.—An ice patrol vessel shall record the name of a 
vessel and the facts of the case when the patrol observes or knows that 
the vessel— 
‘‘(A) is on other than a regular recognized or advertised route 
crossing the North Atlantic Ocean; 
‘‘(B) has crossed the fishing banks of Newfoundland north of 
latitude 43 degrees north during the fishing season; or 
‘‘(C) has passed through regions known or believed to be endan-
gered by ice when proceeding to and from ports of North America. 
‘‘(2) REPORTING.—The name of the vessel and all pertinent informa-
tion about the incident shall be reported to the government of the coun-
try to which the vessel belongs if that government requests. 
‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATION.—The Commandant of the Coast Guard, under 
the direction of the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating, shall carry out the services provided for in this section and 
shall assign necessary vessels, material, and personnel of the Coast Guard. 
On request of such Secretary, the head of an agency may detail personnel, 
lend or contribute material or equipment, or otherwise assist in carrying out 
the services provided for in this section. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Commandant shall publish an annual report 
of the activities of the services provided for in this section. A copy of the 
report shall be provided to each interested foreign government and to each 
agency assisting in the work. 
‘‘§ 80303. Speed of vessel in ice region 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—The master of a vessel of the United States, when 
ice is reported on or near the vessel’s course, shall proceed at a moderate 
speed or change the course of the vessel to go well clear of the danger zone. 
‘‘(b) CIVIL PENALTY.—A master violating this section is liable to the 
United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $500. 
‘‘CHAPTER 805—SAFE CONTAINERS FOR 
INTERNATIONAL CARGO 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘80501.
Definitions. 
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‘‘80502.
Application of Convention. 
‘‘80503.
General authority of the Secretary. 
‘‘80504.
Approval and examination. 
‘‘80505.
Enforcement. 
‘‘80506.
Delegation of authority. 
‘‘80507.
Employee protection. 
‘‘80508.
Amendments to Convention. 
‘‘80509.
Civil penalty. 
‘‘§ 80501. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter: 
‘‘(1) CONTAINER.—The term ‘container’ has the meaning given that 
term in the Convention. 
‘‘(2) CONVENTION.—The term ‘Convention’ means the International 
Convention for Safe Containers, and its annexes, done at Geneva, Swit-
zerland, December 2, 1972. 
‘‘(3) INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT.—The term ‘international trans-
port’ means the transportation of a container between— 
‘‘(A) a place in a foreign country and a place in the jurisdiction 
of the United States; or 
‘‘(B) two places outside the United States by United States car-
riers. 
‘‘(4) OWNER.—The term ‘owner’ includes the lessee or bailee of a 
container if a written lease or bailment provides for the lessee or bailee 
to exercise the owner’s responsibility for maintaining and examining 
the container. 
‘‘(5) SAFETY APPROVAL PLATE.—The term ‘safety approval plate’ 
has the meaning given that term in annex I of the Convention. 
‘‘§ 80502. Application of Convention 
‘‘The Convention applies to an owner of a container used in international 
transport if the owner is domiciled or has its principal office in the United 
States. 
‘‘§ 80503. General authority of the Secretary 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating shall carry out the Convention and this chapter in the 
United States. 
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry 
out this chapter. The regulations shall— 
‘‘(1) establish procedures for testing, inspecting, and initially approv-
ing containers and designs for containers, including procedures for at-
taching, invalidating, and removing safety approval plates for con-
tainers; 
‘‘(2) establish procedures to be followed by the owners of containers 
for the periodic examination of containers as provided in the Conven-
tion; and 
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‘‘(3) provide a method for developing, collecting, and disseminating 
information about container safety and the international transport of 
containers. 
‘‘(c) SAFETY APPROVAL PLATES.—If the owner of a container without a 
safety approval plate establishes that the container satisfies the standards 
of the Convention, the Secretary may authorize a safety approval plate to 
be attached to the container. 
‘‘(d) SCHEDULE OF FEES.—The Secretary may prescribe a schedule of 
fees for services performed by the Secretary, or by a person delegated au-
thority under section 80506 of this title, for the testing, inspection, and ini-
tial approval of containers and container designs. 
‘‘(e) ENCOURAGING INTERMODAL TRANSPORT.—To the maximum extent 
possible, the Secretary shall encourage the development and use of inter-
modal transport, using containers built to facilitate economical, safe, and 
expeditious handling of containerized cargo without intermediate reloading 
when it is being transported over land, air, and sea areas. 
‘‘§ 80504. Approval and examination 
‘‘(a) DOMICILE AND PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN UNITED STATES.—A con-
tainer owner domiciled and having its principal office in the United States 
shall have the container— 
‘‘(1) approved initially under procedures prescribed by the Secretary 
of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating or by the gov-
ernment of another country that is a party to the Convention; and 
‘‘(2) examined periodically as provided in the Convention under pro-
cedures prescribed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) DOMICILE OR PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN UNITED STATES.—A container 
owner domiciled or having its principal office in the United States shall have 
the container— 
‘‘(1) approved initially under procedures prescribed by the Secretary 
or by the government of another country that is a party to the Conven-
tion; and 
‘‘(2) examined periodically as provided in the Convention, under pro-
cedures prescribed by the government of the country in which the 
owner is domiciled or has its principal office, as long as that country 
is a party to the Convention. 
‘‘(c) NEITHER DOMICILE NOR PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN UNITED STATES.— 
A container owner neither domiciled nor having its principal office in the 
United States or another country that is a party to the Convention may 
submit a container for initial approval and periodic examination under pro-
cedures prescribed by the Secretary. 
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‘‘§ 80505. Enforcement 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To enforce the Convention, this chapter, and regula-
tions prescribed under this chapter, the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating may— 
‘‘(1) examine, or require to be examined, containers in international 
transport; 
‘‘(2) approve designs for containers; 
‘‘(3) inspect and test containers being manufactured; 
‘‘(4) issue a detention order removing or excluding a container from 
service until the container owner satisfies the Secretary that the con-
tainer meets the standards of the Convention, if the container— 
‘‘(A) does not have a safety approval plate attached to it; or 
‘‘(B) has a safety approval plate attached but there is signifi-
cant evidence that the container is in a condition that creates an 
obvious risk to safety; 
‘‘(5) take other appropriate action, including issuing necessary or-
ders, to remove a container from service or restrict its use if the con-
tainer is not in compliance with the Convention, this chapter, or regula-
tions prescribed under this chapter, but does not present an obvious 
risk to safety; and 
‘‘(6) allow a container found to be unsafe or without a safety ap-
proval plate to be moved to another location for repair or other disposi-
tion, under restrictions consistent with the intent of the Convention. 
‘‘(b) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.— 
‘‘(1) EXAMINATION.—The owner of a container involved in an action 
by the Secretary under this section related to an examination of the 
container shall pay or reimburse the Secretary for the expenses arising 
from that action, except for the costs of routine examinations of the 
container or a safety approval plate. 
‘‘(2) TESTING, INSPECTION, AND INITIAL APPROVAL.—The owner of 
a container submitted to the procedure established by the Secretary for 
testing, inspection, and initial approval, and the manufacturer of a con-
tainer that submits a design to the procedure established by the Sec-
retary for testing, inspection, and initial approval, shall pay or reim-
burse the Secretary for the expenses arising from the testing, inspec-
tion, or approval. 
‘‘(3) CREDIT TO APPROPRIATION.—Amounts received by the Sec-
retary as reimbursement shall be credited to the appropriation for oper-
ating expenses of the Coast Guard. 
‘‘(c) PRESUMPTION BASED ON SAFETY APPROVAL PLATE.—A container 
bearing a safety approval plate authorized by a country that is a party to 
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