SECTION 1. OPERATION OF SUBMERSIBLE OR SEMI-SUB-
MERSIBLE VESSEL WITHOUT NATIONALITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 111 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 2285. Operation of submersible or semi-submers-
ible vessel without nationality 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS
AND
DECLARATIONS.—Congress 
finds and declares that operating or embarking in a sub-
mersible or semi-submersible vessel without nationality 
and on an international voyage is a serious international 
problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug 
trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat 
to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of 
the United States. 
‘‘(b) OFFENSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Whoever knowingly or in-
tentionally operates by any means or embarks in any 
submersible or semi-submersible vessel that is with-
out nationality and that is navigating or has navi-
gated into, through or from waters beyond the outer 
limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a 
lateral limit of that country’s territorial sea with an 
adjacent country, shall be punished as prescribed in 
subsection (h). 
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‘‘(2) ATTEMPTS AND CONSPIRACIES.—Whoever 
attempts or conspires to violate this section shall be 
punished as prescribed in subsection (h). 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term— 
‘‘(1) ‘submersible vessel’ means a vessel that is 
capable of operating below the surface of the water, 
and includes manned and unmanned watercraft. 
‘‘(2) 
‘semi-submersible 
vessel’ 
means 
any 
watercraft constructed or adapted to be capable of 
putting much of its bulk under the surface of the 
water. 
‘‘(3) ‘vessel without nationality’ has the same 
meaning as section 70502(d) of title 46. 
‘‘(d) EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.—There is 
extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over the offenses de-
scribed in this section, including an attempt or conspiracy 
to commit such offense. 
‘‘(e) CLAIM OF NATIONALITY OR REGISTRY.— 
‘‘(1) A claim of nationality or registry under 
this section includes only— 
‘‘(A) possession on board the vessel and 
production of documents evidencing the vessel’s 
nationality as provided in article 5 of the 1958 
Convention on the High Seas; 
‘‘(B) flying its nation’s ensign or flag; or 
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‘‘(C) a verbal claim of nationality or reg-
istry by the master or individual in charge of 
the vessel. 
‘‘(2) The failure of any submersible or semi- 
submersible vessel to display registry numbers or a 
national ensign or flag shall create a rebuttable pre-
sumption that the vessel is without nationality, as 
defined in this section. 
‘‘(f) FEDERAL ACTIVITIES.—Nothing in this section 
applies to lawfully authorized activities carried out by or 
at the direction of the United States Government. 
‘‘(g) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS.—Sec-
tions 70504 and 70505 of title 46 apply to this section. 
‘‘(h) PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(1) VIOLATIONS.—A person violating this sec-
tion shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not 
more than 20 years, or both. 
‘‘(2) 
CONSECUTIVE
SENTENCE.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, a term of im-
prisonment imposed under this section shall be con-
secutive to the sentence of imprisonment for any 
other offense.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for chapter 111 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item: 
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‘‘2285. Operation of submersible or semi-submersible vessel without nation-
ality.’’. 
Æ 
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