46 U.S.C. § 30524 — Limit of liability for personal injury or death

(a) Application. This section applies only to seagoing vessels. It does not apply to pleasure yachts, tugs, towboats, towing vessels, tank vessels, fishing vessels, fish tender vessels, canal boats, scows, car floats, barges, lighters, or other unclassified vessels. (b) Minimum Liability. If the vessel owner's liability under section 30523 of this title is not enough to pay all losses in full, and the portion set aside for personal injury or death claims comes to less than $420 times the vessel's tonnage, that portion must be raised to $420 times the vessel's tonnage. That increased portion can only be used to pay personal injury or death claims. (c) Calculation of Tonnage. For this $420-per-ton calculation, a self-propelled vessel's tonnage is its gross tonnage, without subtracting engine room space, and a sailing vessel's tonnage is its tonnage for documentation. Either way, space used for seamen is excluded from the count. (d) Claims Arising on Distinct Occasions. Personal injury or death claims from separate incidents each get their own, separate limit of liability. (e) Privity or Knowledge. For a personal injury or death claim, the owner is treated as having whatever privity or knowledge the master, or the owner's superintendent or managing agent, had at or before the start of each voyage.