Please note the following amendment received from Dennis McMurtry on 7th April 2009

The requirement for reporting movement only applies to vessels moving from one customs region to another, i.e.from Ft Lauderdale to Miami, Miami to Ft Myers or Key WEST ETC.

Verified by an official who issued annual cruising permit from Ft Lauderdale office.

Original Report

Published: February 4, 2008

The situation described below will be a real burden for all foreign flagged vessels cruising in USA waters. Our thanks to Captain Brenda Matzner for researching this developing situation, and allowing me to paraphrase our telephone conversation!

The long and short of this is, that if you are from any foreign country, including Canada, and your vessel is flagged in that country,

YOU MUST NOTIFY US CUSTOMS – HOMELAND SECURITY EVEN IF YOU SIMPLY MOVE YOUR VESSEL FROM ONE MARINA TO ANOTHER, IN THE SAME PORT OF CALL! Otherwise, you might just be slapped with a $5,000.00 fine!

Note that this requirement does NOT apply to US flagged vessels!

Today, I called “Maria” (954-761-2034) at the office of US Customs and Homeland Security in Port Everglades [Fort Lauderdale], and got a clarification of the requirements for foreign-flagged vessels to announce their movement from one port or call, or one berth, to another. Recently, I had a buddy who was recently hit with this rule and suffered a $5,000.00 fine in Jacksonville.

Even if a foreign flagged vessel, including those from Canada, have entered the USA legally, and cleared customs properly, THEY MUST NOTIFY US CUSTOMS – HOMELAND SECURITY if they move their vessel from one place to another. Officer Maria said that even if the vessel is moved just from Port Everglades to Miami, for example, or even from the city of Fort Lauderdale berths on New River to Bahia Mar, the boat owners MUST notify US Customs – Homeland Security IMMEDIATELY, OR BE SUBJECT TO A $5,000.00 FINE!

While it would appear, at least so far, that the enforcement of this provision is lax is some ports, a crackdown could result in some very expensive cruising, very fast for Canadians, or boat owners from other countries. It is my impression that this Department of Homeland Security Requirement is NOT well known among foreign cruisers, and that’s why I phoned you today, to help get this word out ASAP!

Captain Brenda Matzner

Quoted from www.Crusierlog.com