Attorneys Murphy, Rogers & Sloss in New Orleans has advised the P&I Club that, earlier this month, the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had issued reminders to the New Orleans port community that crew members may not be sent ashore for medical appointments or repatriation before the arriving vessel is cleared by organisation.
The regulation reads - all persons employed in any capacity on board any vessel arriving in the US shall be detained on board the vessel by the Master or agent until admitted or otherwise permitted to land by a CBP officer.
Failure of the Master to detain seafarers on board a vessel arriving in the US until inspection may result in a monetary penalty. The amount of such fines were not specified.
Skuld advised its members to take notice of this requirement and co-ordinate closely with local agents to ensure that proper procedures and immigration regulations are followed.