§8168. Consular powers: senior officer present afloat

In any foreign port where there is no resident consul of the United States, or on the high seas, the senior officer present afloat has the powers of a consul in relation to mariners of the United States.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 372 , §5948; renumbered §8168, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §807(b)(5), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1834 .)

The words "the senior officer present afloat" are substituted for the words "The commanding officer of any fleet, squadron, or vessel acting singly". At the time of enactment of the Revised Statutes, the word "squadron" meant any number of vessels more than one. Today the concept of "senior officer present afloat" covers as nearly as possible the current equivalent of the original statute.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018-Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5948 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.