Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

33 U.S.C. § 1471

Definitions

As used in this chapter—
(1)
“a substance other than convention oil” means those oils, noxious substances, liquefied gases, and radioactive substances—
(A)
enumerated in the protocol, or
(B)
section 1473(a) of this title otherwise determined to be hazardous under ;
(2)
“convention” means the International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969, including annexes thereto;
(3)
“convention oil” means crude oil, fuel oil, diesel oil, and lubricating oil;
(4)
“Secretary” means the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating;
(5)
“ship” means—
(A)
a seagoing vessel of any type whatsoever, and
(B)
any floating craft, except an installation or device engaged in the exploration and exploitation of the resources of the seabed and the ocean floor and the subsoil thereof;
(6)
“protocol” means the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Marine Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil, 1973, including annexes thereto; and
(7)
“United States” means the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

Pub. L. 93–248, § 288 Stat. 8Pub. L. 95–302, § 1(1)92 Stat. 344(, , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 3602(b) of Title 22For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in par. (7), see , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Amendments

Pub. L. 95–3021978— in cl. (1) substituted definition of “a substance other than convention oil” for definition of “ship”, in cl. (2) substituted definition of “convention” for definition of “oil”, in cl. (3) substituted definition of “convention oil” for definition of “convention”, in cl. (5) substituted definition of “ship” for definition of “United States”, and added cls. (6) and (7).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–302section 2 of Pub. L. 95–302section 1487 of this titleFor effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .

Short Title

Pub. L. 93–248, § 188 Stat. 8

“That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Intervention on the High Seas Act’.”
, , , provided:

Transfer of Functions

section 542 of Title 6For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

section 1681 of Title 48For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding , Territories and Insular Possessions.