A Coast Guard Station San Juan law enforcement team terminated a bareboat charter voyage last Friday after it violated a federal Captain of the Port Order to cease any illegal charter operations, off Villa Marina.
The 32-foot vessel Island Reef had nine people aboard and it was determined it didn’t meet the criteria for a legal bareboat charter. The vessel was previously issued a COTP on Jan. 11.
“Coast Guard Sector San Juan continues its enforcement efforts against illegal passenger vessel operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, prioritizing maritime safety and regulatory compliance,” said Senior Investigative Officer Eric Santos, Sector San Juan. “Our intensity over the past year yielded 12 vessel terminations, multiple violations, and four Captain of the Port Orders, underscoring the Coast Guard’s commitment to protecting passengers and ensuring vessel operators adhere to federal safety standards.”
Information for violating a COTP Order is detailed in 46 U.S.C. 70036, as follows; “failure to comply with a Captain of the Port Order is punishable by a civil penalty of up to $117,608 for each day the vessel is in violation. Willful and knowing violation of a Captain of the Port Order is a class D felony, punishable by up to six years in prison (18 U.S.C. 3581) or fines up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for an organization.”
Violations included:
- Violation of 33 C.F.R. 160.105 – Violation of active COTP Order.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100(a) – Failure to have a valid Certificate of Inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 67.7 – Failure to have a valid Certificate of Documentation endorsed for Coastwise Trade.
The original announcement can be found here.