Large passenger vessels.

§ 15.530 Large passenger vessels. (a) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel must ensure that any non-resident alien holding a Coast Guard-issued MMC described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter is provided the rights, protections, and benefits of the International Labor Organization's Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention of 1976. (b) On U.S. flag large passenger vessels, non-resident aliens holding a Coast Guard-issued MMC described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter— (1) May only be employed in the steward's department on the vessel(s) specified on the MMC or accompanying Coast Guard letter under § 12.811 of this subchapter; (2) May only be employed for an aggregate period of 36 months of actual service on all authorized U.S. flag large passenger vessels combined, under § 12.811 of this subchapter; (3) May not perform watchstanding, engine room duty watch, or vessel navigation functions, under § 12.811 of this subchapter; and (4) May perform emergency-related duties only if, under § 12.811 of this subchapter— (i) The emergency-related duties do not require any other rating or endorsement, except lifeboatman as specified in § 12.811 of this subchapter; (ii) The non-resident alien has completed familiarization and basic training, as required in § 15.1105 of this part; (iii) The non-resident alien, if serving as a lifeboatman, has the necessary lifeboatman's endorsement; and (iv) The non-resident alien has completed the training for crewmembers on passenger ships performing duties involving safety or care for passengers, as required in part 12, subpart I of this subchapter. (c) No more than 25 percent of the total number of ratings on a U.S. flag large passenger vessel may be aliens, whether admitted to the United States for permanent residence or authorized for employment in the United States as non-resident aliens. (d) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel employing non-resident aliens holding Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter must— (1) Retain custody of all non-resident alien MMCs for the duration of employment, under § 12.811 of this subchapter; and (2) Return all non-resident alien MMCs to the Coast Guard upon termination of employment, under § 12.811 of this subchapter. (e) The owner or operator of a U.S. flag large passenger vessel employing non-resident aliens holding Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in part 12, subpart H of this subchapter is subject to the civil penalty provisions specified in 46 U.S.C. 8103(f), for any violation of this section. [USCG–2004–17914, 78 FR 78003, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG–2018–0874, 84 FR 30882, June 28, 2019]