Immersion suits

The Secretary shall by regulation require immersion suits on vessels designated by the Secretary that operate in the Atlantic Ocean north of 32 degrees North latitude or south of 32 degrees South latitude and in all other waters north of 35 degrees North latitude or south of 35 degrees South latitude. The Secretary may not exclude a vessel from designation under this section only because that vessel carries other lifesaving equipment. The Secretary shall establish standards for an immersion suit required by this section, including standards to guarantee adequate thermal protection, buoyance, and flotation stability. The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of a vessel violating this section or a regulation prescribed under this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $5,000. The vessel also is liable in rem for the penalty. The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of a vessel violating this section or a regulation prescribed under this section may be fined not more than $25,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. Section 3102 of title 46, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), does not limit the authority of the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to prescribe regulations requiring exposure suits on vessels not required by section 3102 to have exposure suits. The regulations prescribed under section 3102 of title 46, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), shall be effective not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this title [Nov. 8, 1984].” (Source: (Added Pub. L. 98–557, § 22(a)(1), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2871; amended Pub. L. 98–623, title VII, § 701(a)(1), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3413; Pub. L. 99–36, § 2, May 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 68; Pub. L. 100–424, § 8(a)(1), (2), Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1592, 1593.))