Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/544

 98 STAT. 2916

PUBLIC LAW 98-563—OCT. 30, 1984

Public Law 98-563 98th Congress An Act Oct 30 1984 [H.R. 89]

46 USC app. ^^^^-

Termination.

'^^ 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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) notwithstanding 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. (b)(1) 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 Responsibility 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 advertised pursuant to a Certificate of Financial Responsibility 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 foreign-flag 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 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 subsections (b)(1) and (b)(2) 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 subsections shall not be required until 90 days following the entry into that trade by the United States vessel.

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