A bill to permit the transportation of passengers between Puerto Rico and other United States ports on foreign-flag vessels when United States flag service for such transportation is not available.
PL 98-563 (H.R.89), enacted 10/30/1984

98 STAT. 2916 
PUBLIC LAW 98-563—OCT. 30, 1984 
Public Law 98-563 
98th Congress 
An Act 
Oct 30 1984 
'^^ permit the transportation of passengers between Puerto Rico and other United 
States ports on foreign-flag vessels when United States flag service for such 
[H.R. 89] 
transportation is not available. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
46 use app. 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) notwith-
^^^^- 
standing any other provision of law, passengers may be transported 
on passenger vessels not qualified to engage in the coastwise trade 
between ports in Puerto Rico and other ports in the United States, 
directly or by way of a foreign port, except as otherwise provided in 
this Act. 
Termination. 
(bXD Upon a showing to the Secretary of Transportation, by the 
vessel owner or charterer, that service aboard a United States 
passenger vessel qualified to engage in the coastwise trade is being 
offered or advertised pursuant to a Certificate of Financial Responsi-
bility for Indemnification of Passengers for Nonperformance of 
Transportation (46 App. U.S.C. 817e) from the Federal Maritime 
Commission for service in the coastwise trade between ports in 
Puerto Rico and other ports in the United States, the Secretary shall 
notify the owner or operator of each vessel transporting passengers 
under authority of this Act that he shall, within 270 days after 
notification, terminate all such service. Coastwise privileges granted 
to every owner or operator under this Act shall expire on the 270th 
day following the Secretary's notification. 
(2) Upon a showing to the Secretary, by the vessel owner or 
charterer, that service aboard a United States passenger vessel not 
qualified to engage in the coastwise trade is being offered or adver-
tised pursuant to a Certificate of Financial Responsibility for Indem-
nification of Passengers for Nonperformance of Transportation (46 
App. U.S.C. 817e) from the Federal Maritime Commission for service 
in the coastwise trade between ports in Puerto Rico and other ports 
in the United States, the Secretary shall notify the owner or opera-
tor of each foreign-flag vessel transporting passengers under author-
ity of this Act that he shall, within 270 days after notification, 
terminate all such service. Coastwise privileges granted to every 
owner or operator of a foreign-flag vessel transporting passengers 
under authority of this Act shall expire on the 270th day following 
the Secretary's notification. 
(c) If, at the expiration of the 270-day period specified in subsec-
tions (b)(1) and (bX2) of this Act, the vessel that has been offering or 
advertising service pursuant to a certificate described in either of 
those subsections has not entered the coastwise passenger trade 
between ports in Puerto Rico and other ports in the United States, 
then the termination of service required by either of those subsec-
tions shall not be required until 90 days following the entry into 
that trade by the United States vessel. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-563—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2917 
(d) Any coastwise privileges granted in this Act that expire under 
subsection (b)(1) or (bX2) shall be reinstated upon a determination by 
the Secretary that the service on which the expiration of the 
privileges was based is no longer available. 
(e) For the purposes of subsections (b)(1) and (b)(2), the term 
"passenger vessel" means any vessel of similar size or offering 
service comparable to any other vessel transporting passengers 
under authority of this Act. 
Approved October 30, 1984. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-733 (Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-658 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 130 (1984): 
May 14, 15, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 11, considered and passed Senate, amended; House concurred in Senate 
amendment. 
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