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Ferry. “Ferry” means any vessel which is being used to provide transportation only between places that are no more than 300 miles apart and which is being used to transport only passengers and/or vehicles, or railroad cars, which are being used, or have been used, in transporting passengers or goods.
Passenger. “Passenger” means any person being transported on a commercial vessel who is not a crew member.
United States. “United States” means the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.
(b) Electronic arrival manifest—(1) General requirement. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, an appropriate official of each commercial vessel arriving in the United States from any place outside the United States must transmit to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) an electronic passenger arrival manifest and an electronic crew member arrival manifest. Each electronic arrival manifest:
(i) Must be transmitted to CPB at the place and time specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section by means of an electronic data interchange system approved by CBP. If the transmission is in US EDIFACT format, the passenger manifest and the crew member manifest must be transmitted separately; and
(ii) Must set forth the information specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
(2) Place and time for submission—(i) General requirement. The appropriate official must transmit each electronic arrival manifest required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section to the CBP Data Center, CBP Headquarters:
(A) In the case of a voyage of 96 hours or more, at least 96 hours before entering the first United States port or place of destination;
(B) In the case of a voyage of less than 96 hours but at least 24 hours, prior to departure of the vessel;
(C) In the case of a voyage of less than 24 hours, at least 24 hours before entering the first U.S. port or place of destination; and
(D) In the case of a vessel that was not destined to the United States but was diverted to a U.S. port due to an emergency, before the vessel enters the U.S. port or place to which diverted; in cases of non-compliance, CBP will take into consideration that the carrier was not equipped to make the transmission and the circumstances of the emergency situation.
(ii) Amendment of crew member manifests. In any instance where a crew member boards the vessel after initial submission of the manifest under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, the appropriate official must transmit amended manifest information to CBP reflecting the data required under paragraph (b)(3) of this section for the additional crew member. The amended manifest information must be transmitted to the CBP data Center, CBP Headquarters:
(A) If the remaining voyage time after initial submission of the manifest is 24 hours or more, at least 24 hours before entering the first U.S. port or place of destination; or
(B) In any other case, at least 12 hours before the vessel enters the first U.S. port or place of destination.
(3) Information required. Each electronic arrival manifest required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section must contain the following information for all passengers and crew members, except that for commercial passenger vessels, the information specified in paragraphs (b)(3)(iv), (v), (x), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xvi), (xviii), and (xix) of this section must be included on the manifest only on or after October 4, 2005:
(i) Full name (last, first, and, if available, middle);
(ii) Date of birth;
(iii) Gender (F = female; M = male);
(iv) Citizenship;
(v) Country of residence;
(vi) Status on board the vessel;
(vii) Travel document type (e.g., P = passport, A = alien registration);
(viii) Passport number, if a passport is required;
(ix) Passport country of issuance, if a passport is required;
(x) Passport expiration date, if a passport is required;
(xi) Alien registration number, where applicable;
(xii) Address while in the United States (number and street, city, state, and zip code), except that this information is not required for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, crew members, or persons who are in transit to a location outside the United States;
(xiii) Passenger Name Record locator, if available;
(xiv) Foreign port/place where transportation to the United States began (foreign port code);
(xv) Port/place of first arrival (CBP port code);
(xvi) Final foreign port/place of destination for in-transit passenger and crew member (foreign port code);
(xvii) Vessel name;
(xviii) Vessel country of registry/flag;
(xix) International Maritime Organization number or other official number of the vessel;
(xx) Voyage number (applicable only for multiple arrivals on the same calendar day); and
(xxi) Date of vessel arrival.
(c) Exceptions. The electronic arrival manifest requirement specified in paragraph (b) of this section is subject to the following conditions:
(1) No passenger or crew member manifest is required if the arriving commercial vessel is operating as a ferry;
(2) If the arriving commercial vessel is not transporting passengers, only a crew member manifest is required; and
(3) No passenger manifest is required for active duty U.S. military personnel onboard an arriving Department of Defense commercial chartered vessel.
(d) Carrier responsibility for comparing information collected with travel document. The carrier collecting the information described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section is responsible for comparing the travel document presented by the passenger or crew member with the travel document information it is transmitting to CBP in accordance with this section in order to ensure that the information transmitted is correct, the document appears to be valid for travel to the United States, and the passenger or crew member is the person to whom the travel document was issued.
(e) Sharing of manifest information. Information contained in passenger and crew member manifests that is received by CBP electronically may, upon request, be shared with other Federal agencies for the purpose of protecting national security. CBP may also share such information as otherwise authorized by law.
[CBP Dec. 05–12, 70 FR 17850, Apr. 7, 2005]
§ 4.8 Preliminary entry.
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(a) Generally. Preliminary entry allows a U.S. or foreign vessel arriving under circumstances that require it to formally enter, to commence lading and unlading operations prior to making formal entry. Preliminary entry may be accomplished electronically pursuant to an authorized electronic data interchange system, or by any other means of communication approved by the Customs Service.
(b) Requirements and conditions. Preliminary entry must be made in compliance with §4.30, and may be granted prior to, at, or subsequent to arrival of the vessel. The granting of preliminary vessel entry by Customs at or subsequent to arrival of the vessel, is conditioned upon the presentation to and acceptance by Customs of all forms, electronically or otherwise, comprising a complete manifest as provided in §4.7, except that the Cargo Declaration, Customs Form (CF) 1302, must be presented to Customs electronically in the manner provided in §4.7(b)(2). Vessels seeking preliminary entry in advance of arrival must do so: By presenting to Customs the electronic equivalent of a complete Customs Form 1302 (Cargo Declaration), in the manner provided in §4.7(b), showing all cargo on board the vessel; and by presenting Customs Form 3171 electronically no less than 48 hours prior to vessel arrival. The CF 3171 will also serve as notice of intended date of arrival. The port director may allow for the presentation of the CF 1302 and CF 3171 less than 48 hours prior to arrival in order to grant advanced preliminary entry if a vessel voyage takes less than 48 hours to complete from the last foreign port to the first U.S. port, or if other reasonable circumstances warrant. Preliminary entry granted in advance of arrival will become effective upon arrival at the port granting preliminary entry. Additionally, Customs must receive confirmation of a vessel's estimated time of arrival in a manner acceptable to the port director.
[T.D. 00–4, 65 FR 2872, Jan. 19, 2000, as amended by T.D. 02–62, 67 FR 66332, Oct. 31, 2002]
§ 4.9 Formal entry.
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(a) General. Section 4.3 provides which vessels are subject to formal entry and where and when entry must be made. The formal entry of an American vessel is governed by section 434, Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1434). The term “American vessel” means a vessel of the United States (see §4.0(b)) as well as, when arriving by sea, a vessel entitled to be documented except for its size (see §4.0(c)). The formal entry of a foreign vessel arriving within the limits of any Customs port is also governed by section 434, Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1434). Alternatively, information necessary for formal entry may be transmitted electronically pursuant to a system authorized by Customs.
(b) Procedures for American vessels. Under certain circumstances, American vessels arriving in ports of the United States directly from other United States ports must make entry. Entry of such vessels is required when they have merchandise aboard which is being transported in-bond, or when they have unentered foreign merchandise aboard. For the purposes of the vessel entry requirements, merchandise transported in-bond does not include bonded ship's stores or supplies. While American vessels transporting unentered foreign merchandise must fully comply with the usual formal entry procedures, American vessels carrying no unentered foreign merchandise but which have in-bond merchandise aboard may satisfy vessel entry requirements by making a required report of arrival, and presenting a completed Customs Form 1300 (Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement). Report of arrival as provided in §4.2 of this part, together with presenting a completed Customs Form 1300 (Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement), satisfies all entry requirements for the subject vessels.
(c) Delivery of foreign vessel document. The master of any foreign vessel will exhibit the vessel's document to the port director on or before the entry of the vessel. After the net tonnage has been noted, the document may be delivered to the consul of the nation to which such vessel belongs, in which event the vessel master will certify to the port director the fact of such delivery (see section 434, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1434), as applied through section 438, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1438)). If not delivered to the consul, the document will be deposited in the customhouse. Whether delivered to the foreign consul or deposited at the customhouse, the document will not be delivered to the master of the foreign vessel until clearance is granted under §4.61. It will not be lawful for any foreign consul to deliver to the master of any foreign vessel the register, or document in lieu thereof, deposited with him in accordance with the provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1434 until such master will produce to him a clearance in due form from the director of the port where such vessel has been entered. Any consul violating the provisions of this section is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 (section 438, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended; 19 U.S.C. 1438).
(d) Failure to make required entry; penalties. Any master who fails to make entry as required by this section or who presents or transmits electronically any document required by this section that is forged, altered, or false, may be liable for certain civil penalties as provided under 19 U.S.C. 1436, in addition to penalties applicable under other provisions of law. Further, any vessel used in connection with any such violation is subject to seizure and forfeiture.
[T.D. 00–4, 65 FR 2873, Jan. 19, 2000; T.D. 00–22, 65 FR 16515, Mar. 29, 2000]
§ 4.10 Request for overtime services.
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Request for overtime services in connection with entry or clearance of a vessel, including the boarding of a vessel in accordance with §4.1 shall be made on Customs Form 3171. (See §24.16 of this chapter regarding pleasure vessels.) Such request for overtime services must specify the nature of the services desired and the exact times when they will be needed, unless a term special license (unlimited or limited to the service requested) has been issued (see §4.30(g)) and arrangements are made locally so that the proper Customs officer will be notified during official hours in advance of the rendering of the services as to the nature of the services desired and the exact times they will be needed. Such request shall not be approved (previously issued term special licenses shall be revoked) unless the carrier complies with the provisions of paragraphs (l) and (m) of §4.30 regarding terminal facilities and employee lists, respectively, and the required cash deposit or bond, on Customs Form 301, containing the bond conditions set forth in §113.64 of this chapter, has been received. Separate bonds shall be required if overtime services are requested by different principals.
[T.D. 72–189, 37 FR 13975, July 15, 1972, as amended by T.D. 84–213, 49 FR 41163, Oct. 19, 1984; T.D. 92–74, 57 FR 35751, Aug. 11, 1992]
§ 4.11 Sealing of stores.
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Upon the arrival of a vessel from a foreign port, or a vessel engaged in the foreign trade from a domestic port, sea stores and ship's stores not required for immediate use or consumption on board while the vessel is in port and articles acquired abroad by officers and members of the crew, for which no permit to land has been issued, shall be placed under seal, unless the Customs officer is of the opinion that the circumstances do not require such action. Customs inspectors in charge of the vessel, from time to time, as in their judgment the necessity of the case requires, may issue stores from under seal for consumption on board the vessel by its passengers and crew. (See §4.39.)
§ 4.12 Explanation of manifest discrepancy.
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(a)(1) Vessel masters or agents shall notify the port director on Customs Form 5931 of shortages (merchandise manifested, but not found) or overages (merchandise found, but not manifested) of merchandise.
(2) Shortages shall be reported to the port direct by the master or agent of the vessel by endorsement on the importer's claim for shortage on Customs Form 5931 as provided for in §158.3 of this chapter, or within 60 days after the date of entry of the vessel, whichever is later. Satisfactory evidence to support the claim of nonimportation or of proper disposition or other corrective action (see §4.34) shall be obtained by the master or agent and shall be retained in the carrier's file for one year.
(3) Overages shall be reported to the port director within 60 days after the date of entry of the vessel by completion of a post entry or suitable explanation of corrective action (see §4.34) on the Customs Form 5931.
(4) The port director shall immediately advise the master or agent of those discrepancies which are not reported by the master or agent. Notification may be in any appropriate manner, including the furnishing of a copy of Customs Form 5931 to the master or agent. The master or agent shall satisfactorily resolve the matter within 30 days after the date of such notification, or within 60 days after entry of the vessel, whichever is later.
(5)(a) Unless the required notification and explanation is made timely and the port director is satisfied that the discrepancies resulted from clerical error or other mistake and that there has been no loss of revenue (and in the case of a discrepancy not initially reported by the master or agent that there was a valid reason for failing to so report), applicable penalties under section 584, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1584), shall be assessed (see §162.31 of this chapter). For purposes of this section, the term “clerical error” is defined as a non-negligent, inadvertent, or typographical mistake in the preparation, assembly, or submission (electronically or otherwise) of the manifest. However, repeated similar manifest discrepancies by the same parties may be deemed the result of negligence and not clerical error or other mistake. For the purpose of assessing applicable penalties, the value of the merchandise shall be determined as prescribed in §162.43 of this chapter. The fact that the master or owner had no knowledge of a discrepancy shall not relieve him from the penalty.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a correction in the manifest shall not be required in the case of bulk merchandise if the port director is satisfied that the difference between the manifested quantity and the quantity unladen, whether the difference constitutes an overage or a shortage, is an ordinary and usual difference properly attributable to absorption of moisture, temperature, faulty weighing at the port of lading, or other similar reason. A correction in the manifest shall not be required because of discrepancies between marks or numbers on packages of merchandise and the marks or numbers for the same packages as shown on the manifest of the importing vessel when the quantity and description of the merchandise in such packages are correctly given.
(c) Manifest discrepancies (shortages and overages) of petroleum and petroleum products imported in bulk shall be reported on Customs Form 5931, if the discrepancy exceeds one percent.
[T.D. 80–142, 45 FR 36383, May 30, 1980, as amended by T.D. 99–64, 64 FR 43265, Aug. 10, 1999]
§ 4.13 [Reserved]
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§ 4.14 Equipment purchases by, and repairs to, American vessels.
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(a) General provisions and applicability. Under section 466, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1466), purchases for or repairs made to certain vessels while they are outside the United States, including repairs made while those vessels are on the high seas, are subject to declaration, entry and payment of ad valorem duty. This does not apply to reimbursement paid to members of the regular crew of a vessel for labor expended in making repairs to the vessel. These requirements are effective upon the first arrival of affected vessels in the United States or Puerto Rico. The vessels subject to these requirements include those documented under U.S. law for the foreign or coastwise trades, as well as those which were previously documented under the laws of some foreign nation or are undocumented at the time that foreign shipyard repairs are performed, but which exhibit an intent to engage in those trades under Customs interpretations. Duty is based on actual foreign cost. This includes the original foreign purchase price of articles which have been imported into the United States and are later sent abroad for use. For the purposes of this section, expenditures made in American Samoa, the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands are considered to have been made in the United States, and are not subject to declaration, entry or duty. Under separate provisions of law, the cost of labor performed, and of parts and materials produced and purchased in Israel are not subject to duty under the vessel repair statute. Additionally, expenditures made in Canada or in Mexico are not subject to any vessel repair duties. Even in the absence of any liability for duty, it is still required that all repairs and purchases, including those made in Canada, Mexico, and Israel, be declared and entered.
(b) Applicability to specific types of vessels—(1) Fishing vessels. As provided in §4.15, vessels documented under U.S. law with a fishery endorsement are subject to vessel repair duties for covered foreign expenditures. Undocumented American fishing vessels which are repaired, or for which parts, nets or equipment are purchased outside the U.S. are also liable for duty.
(2) Government-owned or chartered vessels. Vessels normally subject to the vessel repair statute because of documentation or intended use are not excused from duty liability merely because they are either owned or chartered by the U.S. Government.
(3) Vessels continuously away for two years or longer. (i) Liability for expenditures throughout entire absence from U.S. Vessels that continuously remain outside the United States for two years or longer are liable for duty on any fish nets and netting purchased at any time during the entire absence. Vessels designed and used primarily for transporting passengers or merchandise, which depart the United States for the sole purpose of obtaining equipment, parts, materials or repairs remain fully liable for duty regardless of the duration of their absence from the United States.
(ii) Liability for expenditures made during first six months of absence. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, vessels that continuously remain outside the United States for two years or longer are liable for duty only on those expenditures which are made during the first six months of their absence. See paragraph (h)(3) of this section. However, even though some costs might not be dutiable because of the six-month rule, all repairs, materials, parts and equipment-related expenditures must be declared and entered.
(c) Estimated duty deposit and bond requirements. Generally, the person authorized to submit a vessel repair declaration and entry must either deposit or transmit estimated duties or produce evidence of a bond on Customs Form 301 at the first United States port of arrival before the vessel will be permitted to depart from that port. A continuous or single entry bond of sufficient value to cover all potential duty on the foreign repairs and purchases must be identified by surety, number and amount on the vessel repair declaration which is submitted at the port of first arrival. At the time the vessel repair entry is submitted by the vessel operator to the appropriate VRU port of entry as defined in paragraph (g) of this section, that same identifying information must be identified on the entry form. Sufficiency of the amount of the bond is within the discretion of Customs at the arrival port with claims for reduction in duty liability necessarily being subject to full consideration of evidence by Customs. Customs officials at the port of arrival may consult the appropriate Vessel Repair Unit (VRU) port of entry as identified in paragraph (g) of this section or the staff of the Entry Procedures and Carriers Branch in Customs Headquarters in setting sufficient bond amounts. These duty, deposit, and bond requirements do not apply to vessels which are owned or chartered by the United States Government and are actually being operated by employees of an agency of the Government. If operated by a private party for a Federal agency under terms whereby that private party is liable under the contract for payment of the duty, there must be a deposit or a bond filed in an amount adequate to cover the estimated duty.
(d) Declaration required. When a vessel subject to this section first arrives in the United States following a foreign voyage, the owner, master, or authorized agent must submit a vessel repair declaration on Customs Form 226, a dual-use form used both for declaration and entry purposes, or must transmit its electronic equivalent. The declaration must be ready for presentation in the event that a Customs officer boards the vessel. If no foreign repair-related expenses were incurred, that fact must be reported either on the declaration form or by approved electronic means. The Customs port of arrival receiving either a positive or negative vessel repair declaration or electronic equivalent will immediately forward it to the appropriate VRU port of entry as identified in paragraph (g) of this section.
(e) Entry required. The owner, master, or authorized representative of the owner of any vessel subject to this section for which a positive declaration has been filed must submit a vessel repair entry on Customs Form 226 or transmit its electronic equivalent. The entry must show all foreign voyage expenditures for equipment, parts of equipment, repair parts, materials and labor. The entry submission must indicate whether it provides a complete or incomplete account of covered expenditures. The entry must be presented or electronically transmitted by the vessel operator to the appropriate VRU port of entry as identified in paragraph (g) of this section, so that it is received within ten calendar days after arrival of the vessel. Claims for relief from duty should be made generally as part of the initial submission, and evidence must later be provided to support those claims. Failure to submit full supporting evidence of cost within stated time limits, including any extensions granted under this section, is considered to be a failure to enter.
(f) Time limit for submitting evidence of cost. A complete vessel repair entry must be supported by evidence showing the cost of each item entered. If the entry is incomplete when submitted, evidence to make it complete must be received by the appropriate VRU port of entry as identified in paragraph (g) of this section within 90 calendar days from the date of vessel arrival. That evidence must include either the final cost of repairs or, if the operator submits acceptable evidence that final cost information is not yet available, initial or interim cost estimates given prior to or after the work was authorized by the operator. The proper VRU port of entry may grant one 30-day extension of time to submit final cost evidence if a satisfactory written explanation of the need for an extension is received before the expiration of the original 90-day submission period. All extensions will be issued in writing. Inadequate, vague, or open-ended requests will not be granted. Questions as to whether an extension should be granted may be referred to the Entry Procedures and Carriers Branch in Customs Headquarters by the VRU ports of entry. Any request for an extension beyond a 30-day grant issued by a VRU must be submitted through that unit to the Entry Procedures and Carriers Branch, Customs Headquarters. In the event that all cost evidence is not furnished within the specified time limit, or is of doubtful authenticity, the VRU may refer the matter to the Customs Office of Investigations to begin procedures to obtain the needed evidence. That office may also investigate the reason for a failure to file or for an untimely submission. Unexplained or unjustified delays in providing Customs with sufficient information to properly determine duty may result in penalty action as specified in paragraph (j) of this section. Extensions granted for the filing of necessary evidence may also extend the time for filing Applications for Relief (see paragraph (i)(1) of this section).
(g) Location and jurisdiction of vessel repair unit ports of entry. Vessel Repair Units (VRUs) are responsible for processing vessel repair entries. VRUs are located in New York, New York; New Orleans, Louisiana; and San Francisco, California. The New York unit processes vessel repair entries received from ports of arrival on the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Coast of the United States north of, but not including, those located in the State of Virginia. The New Orleans unit processes vessel repair entries received from ports of arrival on the Atlantic Coast from and including those in the State of Virginia, southward, and from all United States ports of arrival on the Gulf of Mexico including ports in Puerto Rico. The San Francisco unit processes vessel repair entries received from all ports of entry on the Pacific Coast including those in Alaska and Hawaii.
(h) Justifications for relief from duty. Claims for relief from the assessment of vessel repair duties may be submitted to Customs. Relief may be sought under paragraphs (a), (d), (e), or (h) of the vessel repair statute (19 U.S.C. 1466(a), (d), (e), or (h)), each paragraph of which relates to a different type of claim as further specified in paragraphs (h)(1)–(h)(4) of this section.
(1) Relief under 19 U.S.C. 1466(a). Requests for relief from duty under 19 U.S.C. 1466(a) consist of claims that a foreign shipyard operation or expenditure is not considered to be a repair or purchase within the terms of the vessel repair statute or as determined under judicial or administrative interpretations. Example: a claim that the shipyard operation is a vessel modification.
(2) Relief from duty under 19 U.S.C. 1466(d). Requests for relief from duty under 19 U.S.C. 1466(d) consist of claims that a foreign shipyard operation or expenditure involves any of the following:
(i) Stress of weather or other casualty. Relief will be granted if good and sufficient evidence supports a finding that the vessel, while in the regular course of its voyage, was forced by stress of weather or other casualty, while outside the United States, to purchase such equipment or make those repairs as are necessary to secure the safety and seaworthiness of the vessel in order to enable it to reach its port of destination in the United States. For the purposes of this paragraph, a “casualty” does not include any purchase or repair made necessary by ordinary wear and tear, but does include the failure of a part to function if it is proven that the specific part was repaired, serviced, or replaced in the United States immediately before the start of the voyage in question, and then failed within six months of that date.
(ii) U.S. parts installed by regular crew or residents. Relief will be granted if equipment, parts of equipment, repair parts, or materials used on a vessel were manufactured or produced in the United States and were purchased in the United States by the owner of the vessel. It is required under the statute that residents of the United States or members of the regular crew of the vessel perform any necessary labor in connection with such installations.
(iii) Dunnage. Relief will be granted if any equipment, equipment parts, materials, or labor were used for the purpose of providing dunnage for the packing or shoring of cargo, for erecting temporary bulkheads or other similar devices for the control of bulk cargo, or for temporarily preparing tanks for carrying liquid cargoes.
(3) Relief under 19 U.S.C. 1466(e). Requests for relief from duty under 19 U.S.C. 1466(e) relate in pertinent part to matters involving vessels normally subject to the vessel repair statute, but that continuously remain outside the United States for two years or longer. Vessels that continuously remain outside the United States for two years or longer may qualify for relief from duty on expenditures made later than the first six months of their absence. See paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section.
(4) Relief under 19 U.S.C. 1466(h). Requests for relief from duty under 19 U.S.C. 1466(h) consist of claims that a foreign shipyard operation or expenditure involves any of the following:
(i) Expenditures on LASH barges. Relief will be granted with respect to the cost of equipment, parts, materials, or repair labor for Lighter Aboard Ship (LASH) operations accomplished abroad.
(ii) Certain spare repair parts or materials. Relief will be granted with respect to the cost of spare repair parts or materials which are certified by the vessel owner or master to be for use on a cargo vessel, but only if duty was previously paid under the appropriate commodity classification(s) as found in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States when the article first entered the United States.
(iii) Certain spare parts necessarily installed on a vessel prior to their first entry into the United States. Relief will be granted with respect to the cost of spare parts only, which have been necessarily installed prior to their first entry into the United States with duty payment under the appropriate commodity classification(s) as found in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
(i) General procedures for seeking relief—(1) Applications for Relief. Relief from the assessment of vessel repair duty will not be granted unless an Application for Relief is filed with Customs. Relief will not be granted based merely upon a claim for relief made at the time of entry under paragraph (e) of this section. The filing of an Application for Relief is not required, nor is one required to be presented in any particular format, but if filed it must clearly present the legal basis for granting relief, as specified in paragraph (h) of this section. An Application must also state that all repair operations performed aboard a vessel during the one-year period prior to the current submission have been declared and entered. A valid Application is required to be supported by complete evidence as detailed in paragraphs (i)(1)(i)–(vi) and (i)(2) of this section. Except as further provided in this paragraph, the deadline for receipt of an Application and supporting evidence is 90 calendar days from the date that the vessel first arrived in the United States following foreign operations. The provisions for extension of the period for filing required evidence in support of an entry, as set forth in paragraph (f) of this section, are applicable to extension of the time period for filing Applications for Relief as well. Applications must be addressed and submitted by the vessel operator to the appropriate VRU port of entry and will be decided in that unit. The VRUs may seek the advice of the Entry Procedures and Carriers Branch in Customs Headquarters with regard to any specific item or issue which has not been addressed by clear precedent. If no Application is filed or if a submission which does not meet the minimal standards of an Application for Relief is received, the duty amount will be determined without regard to any potential claims for relief from duty (see paragraph (h) of this section). Each Application for Relief must include copies of:
(i) Itemized bills, receipts, and invoices for items shown in paragraph (e) of this section. The cost of items for which a request for relief is made must be segregated from the cost of the other items listed in the vessel repair entry;
(ii) Photocopies of relevant parts of vessel logs, as well as of any classification society reports which detail damage and remedies;
(iii) A certification by the senior officer with personal knowledge of all relevant circumstances relating to casualty damage (time, place, cause, and nature of damage);
(iv) A certification by the senior officer with personal knowledge of all relevant circumstances relating to foreign repair expenditures (time, place, and nature of purchases and work performed);
(v) A certification by the master that casualty-related expenditures were necessary to ensure the safety and seaworthiness of the vessel in reaching its United States port of destination; and
(vi) Any permits or other documents filed with or issued by any United States Government agency other than Customs regarding the operation of the vessel that are relevant to the request for relief.
(2) Additional evidence. In addition, copies of any other evidence and documents the applicant may wish to provide as evidentiary support may be submitted. Elements of applications which are not supported by required evidentiary elements will be considered fully dutiable. All documents submitted must be certified by the master, owner, or authorized corporate officer to be originals or copies of originals, and if in a foreign language, they must be accompanied by an English translation, certified by the translator to be accurate. Upon receipt of an Application for Relief by the VRU within the prescribed time limits, a determination of duties owed will be made. After a decision is made on an Application for Relief by a VRU, the applicant will be notified of the right to protest any adverse decision.
(3) Administrative protest. Following the determination of duty owing on a vessel repair entry, a protest may be filed under 19 U.S.C. 1514(a)(2) as the only and final administrative appeal. The procedures and time limits applicable to protests filed in connection with vessel repair entries are the same as those provided in part 174 of this chapter. In particular, the applicable protest period will begin on the date of the issuance of the decision giving rise to the protest as reflected on the relevant correspondence from the appropriate VRU.
(j) Penalties—(1) Failure to report, enter, or pay duty. It is a violation of the vessel repair statute if the owner or master of a vessel subject to this section willfully or knowingly neglects or fails to report, make entry, and pay duties as required; makes any false statements regarding purchases or repairs described in this section without reasonable cause to believe the truth of the statements; or aids or procures any false statements regarding any material matter without reasonable cause to believe the truth of the statement. If a violation occurs, the vessel, its tackle, apparel, and furniture, or a monetary amount up to their value as determined by Customs, is subject to seizure and forfeiture and is recoverable from the owner (see §162.72 of this chapter).
(2) False declaration. If any person required to file a vessel repair declaration or entry under this section, knowingly and willfully falsifies, conceals or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact, or makes any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation, or makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement, that person will be subject to the criminal penalties provided for in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
[66 FR 16397, Mar. 26, 2001]
§ 4.15 Fishing vessels touching and trading at foreign places.
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(a) Before any vessel documented with a fishery license endorsement shall touch and trade at a foreign port or place, the master shall obtain from the port director a permit on Customs Form 1379 to touch and trade.
When a fishing vessel departs from the United States and there is an intent to stop at a foreign port (1) to lade vessel equipment which was preordered, (2) to purchase and lade vessel equipment, or (3) to purchase and lade vessel equipment to replace existing vessel equipment, the master of the vessel must either clear for that foreign port or obtain a permit to touch and trade, whether or not the vessel will engage in fishing on that voyage. 28 Purchases of such equipment, whether intended at the time of departure or not, are subject to declaration, entry, and payment of duty pursuant to section 466 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1466). The duty may be remitted if it is established that the purchases resulted from stress of weather or other casualty.
28 If such a vessel puts into a foreign port or place and only obtains bunkers, stores, or supplies suitable for a fishing voyage, it is not considered to have touched and traded there. Fish nets and netting are considered vessel equipment and not vessel supplies.
29–61 [Reserved]
(b) Upon the arrival of a documented vessel with a fishery endorsement which has put into a foreign port or place, the master shall report its arrival, make entry, and conform in all respects to the regulations applicable in the case of a vessel arriving from a foreign port.
(c) If a vessel which has been granted a permit to touch and trade arrives at a port in the United States, whether or not the vessel has touched at a foreign port or place, such permit shall forthwith be surrendered to the port director.
(d) No permit to touch and trade shall be issued to a vessel which does not have a Certificate of Documentation with a fishery license endorsement.
[28 FR 14596, Dec. 31, 1963, as amended by T.D. 77–28, 42 FR 3161, Jan. 17, 1977; T.D. 83–214, 48 FR 46512, Oct. 13, 1983; T.D. 94–24, 59 FR 13200, Mar. 21, 1994; T.D. 95–77, 60 FR 50010, Sept. 27, 1995]
§ 4.16 [Reserved]
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§ 4.17 Vessels from discriminating countries.
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The prohibition against imports in, and the penalty of forfeiture of, certain vessels from countries which discriminate against American vessels provided for in subsections 2 and 3 of paragraph J, section IV, Tariff Act of 1913, as amended by the act of March 4, 1915 (19 U.S.C. 130, 131), shall be enforced only in pursuance of specific instructions issued and published from time to time by the Secretary of the Treasury or such other officer as the Secretary may designate. (See also §§4.20(c) and 159.42 of this chapter.)
[28 FR 14596, Dec. 31, 1963, as amended by T.D. 73–175, 38 FR 17444, July 2, 1973]
Tonnage Tax and Light Money
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§ 4.20 Tonnage taxes.
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(a) Except as specified in §4.21, a regular tonnage tax or duty of 2 cents per net ton, not to exceed in the aggregate 10 cents per net ton in any 1 year, shall be imposed at each entry on all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the United States from any foreign port or place in North America, Central America, the West Indies, the Bahama Islands, the Bermuda Islands, the coast of South America bordering on the Caribbean Sea (considered to include the mouth of the Orinoco River), or the high seas adjacent to the U.S. or the above listed foreign locations, and on all vessels (except vessels of the U.S., recreational vessels, and barges, as defined in §2101 of Title 46) that depart a U.S. port or place and return to the same port or place without being entered in the United States from another port or place, and regular tonnage tax of 6 cents per net ton, not to exceed 30 cents per net ton per annum, shall be imposed at each entry on all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the United States from any other foreign port. In determining the port of origin of a voyage to the United States and the rate of tonnage tax, the following shall be used as a guide:
(1) When the vessel has proceeded in ballast from a port to which the 6-cent rate is applicable to a port to which the 2-cent rate applies and there has laden cargo or taken passengers, tonnage tax upon entry in the United States shall be assessed at the 2-cent rate.
(2) The same rate shall be applied in a case in which the vessel has transported cargo or passengers from a 6-cent port to a 2-cent port when all such cargo or passengers have been unladen or discharged at the 2-cent port, without regard to whether the vessel thereafter has proceeded to the United States in ballast or with cargo or passengers laden or taken on board at the 2-cent port.
(3) The 6-cent rate shall be applied when the vessel proceeds from a 2-cent port to a 6-cent port en route to the United States under circumstances similar to paragraph (a) (1) or (2) of this section.
(4) If the vessel arrives in the United States with cargo or passengers taken at two or more ports to which different rates are applicable, tonnage tax shall be collected at the higher rate.
(b) The tonnage year shall be computed from the date of the first entry of the vessel concerned, without regard to the rate of the payment made at that entry, and shall expire on the day preceding the corresponding date of the following year. There may be 5 payments at the maximum (6 cent) and 5 at the minimum (2-cent) rate during a tonnage year, so that the maximum assessment of tonnage duty may amount to 40 cent per net ton for the tonnage year of a vessel engaged in alternating trade.
(c) A vessel shall also be subject on every entry from a foreign port or place, whether or not regular tonnage tax is payable on the particular entry, to the payment of a special tonnage tax and to the payment of light money at the rates and under the circumstances specified in the following table:
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Rate per net ton
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Classes of vessels Special Light
Regular tax tax money
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Vessels of the United States:
1. Under provisional register, without regard to citizenship of $.02 or $.06 .......... ..........
officers.............................................................
2. All others:
(i) If all the officers are citizens................................ .02 or .06 .......... ..........
(ii) If any officer is not a citizen................................ .02 or .06 \1\ 0.50 \1\ .50
Undocumented vessels which are owned by citizens \2\.................... .02 or .06 .50 \3\ .50
Foreign vessels:
1. Of nations whose vessels are exempted from special tax or light .02 or .06 .......... ..........
money................................................................
2. All others:
(i) Built in the U.S................................................ .02 or .06 .30 .50
(ii) Not built in the U.S........................................... .02 or .06 .50 .50
(iii) In addition to (i) or (ii) of 2., Foreign Vessels, when .02 or .06 \4\ 2.00 \4\ .50
entering from a foreign port or place where vessels of the U.S. are
not ordinarily permitted to enter and trade \3a\...................
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\1\ This does not apply on the first arrival of a vessel in a port of the United States from a foreign or
intercoastal voyage if all the officers who are not citizens are below the grade of master and are filling
vacancies which occurred on the voyage.
\2\ This special tax and light money do not apply if the vessel is documented as a vessel of the United States
before leaving the port.
\3\ This does not apply if the vessel is under a certificate of protection and the owner or master files with
the port director the oath required by 46 U.S.C. App. 129. An unrecorded bill of sale is not such a document
as will exempt a vessel from the payment of light money under 46 U.S.C. App. 128, and the recording of such
bill of sale after the arrival of the vessel is not sufficient to relieve it from the payment of the tax.
\3a\ The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), does not ordinarily permit vessels of the United
States to enter and trade.
\4\ This is to be collected on each entry of a vessel from such a port or place.
(d) Tonnage tax shall be imposed upon a vessel even though she enters a port of the United States only for orders.
(e) The fact that a vessel passes through the Panama Canal does not affect the rate of tonnage tax otherwise applicable to the vessel.
(f) For the purpose of computing tonnage tax, the net tonnage of a vessel stated in the vessel's marine document shall be accepted unless (1) such statement is manifestly wrong, in which case the net tonnage shall be estimated, pending admeasurement of the vessel, or the tonnage reported for her by any recognized classification society may be accepted, or (2) an appendix is attached to the marine document showing a net tonnage ascertained under the so-called “British rules” or the rules of any foreign country which have been accepted as substantially in accord with the rules of the United States, in which case the tonnage so shown may be accepted and the date the appendix was issued shall be noted on the tonnage tax certificate, Customs Form 1002, and on the Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement, Customs Form 1300. For the purpose of computing tonnage tax on a vessel with a tonnage mark and dual tonnages, the higher of the net tonnages stated in the vessel's marine document or tonnage certificate shall be used unless the Customs officer concerned is satisfied by report of the boarding officer, statement or certificate of the master, or otherwise that the tonnage mark was not submerged at the time of arrival. Whether the vessel has a tonnage mark, and if so, whether the mark was submerged on arrival, shall be noted on Customs Form 1300 by the boarding officer.
(g) The decision of the Commissioner of Customs is the final administrative decision on any question of interpretation relating to the collection of tonnage tax or to the refund of such tax when collected erroneously or illegally, and any question of doubt shall be referred to him for instructions.
(h) Any person adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Customs relating to the collection of tonnage tax, or to the refund of such tax when collected erroneously or illegally, may appeal the decision in the Court of International Trade provided that the appeal action is commenced in accordance with the rules of the Court within 2 years after the cause of action first accrues.
[28 FR 14596, Dec. 31, 1963, as amended by T.D. 71–169, 36 FR 12603, July 2, 1971; T.D. 75–110, 40 FR 21027, May 15, 1975; T.D. 76–280, 41 FR 42647, Sept. 28, 1976; T.D. 79–276, 44 FR 61956, Oct. 29, 1979; T.D. 82–145, 47 FR 35475, Aug. 16, 1982; T.D. 85–91, 50 FR 21429, May 24, 1985; T.D. 85–90, 50 FR 21430, May 24, 1985; T.D. 93–12, 58 FR 13196, Mar. 10, 1993; T.D. 95–76, 60 FR 48028, Sept. 18, 1995; T.D. 97–82, 62 FR 51769, Oct. 3, 1997; T.D. 00–22, 65 FR 16515, Mar. 29, 2000; CBP Dec. 03–16, 68 FR 48280, Aug. 13, 2003] (continued)