{"abstract":"The Federal Maritime Commission (Commission) is issuing this final rule to adopt regulatory changes to its passenger vessel operator financial responsibility requirements. The Commission is defining when nonperformance of transportation has occurred and establishing uniform procedures regarding how and when passengers may make claims for refunds under a passenger vessel operator's financial responsibility instrument when nonperformance occurs. This rulemaking resulted from recommendations in an Interim Report issued by the Fact Finding Officer in Commission Fact Finding Investigation No. 30: COVID-19 Impact on Cruise Industry. In the August 25, 2021, Notice of proposed rulemaking, the Commission proposed to modify regulations to revise the definition of Unearned Passenger Revenue, adopt a definition of nonperformance of transportation, and detail the process for obtaining refunds under the PVOs' financial responsibility instruments filed with the Commission. Based on the comments received on the proposed rule, this final rule also clarifies that passengers must wait until the PVO refund period has ended as outlined in the PVO's claims procedure before making a claim against the financial instrument, or the claim has been denied by the PVO. Also, this final rule confirms that claims may be resolved between the passenger and the PVO as an alternative form of compensation. Finally, it creates a small business accommodation by delaying implementation of the new unearned passenger revenue definition by two years for small entities.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION","name":"Federal Maritime Commission","id":178,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-maritime-commission","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/178","parent_id":null,"slug":"federal-maritime-commission"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2022/03/17/2022-05568.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"540","title":46}],"citation":"87 FR 15125","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective date: This rule is effective April 18, 2022.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. 20-15"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2022-05568","effective_on":"2022-04-18","end_page":15137,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2022/03/17/2022-05568.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/03/17/2022-05568/passenger-vessel-financial-responsibility","images":{"ER17MR22.000":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER17MR22.000/ER17MR22.000_large.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER17MR22.000/ER17MR22.000_original_size.png"}},"images_metadata":{"ER17MR22.000":{"large":{"identifier":"ER17MR22.000","content_type":"image/png","size":18986,"width":822,"sha":"c0c3c9ff26f0b72dd5e7764d08ba5dda","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER17MR22.000/ER17MR22.000_large.png","height":270},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER17MR22.000","content_type":"image/png","size":33567,"width":3909,"sha":"d9b48e99b10f0c20a50d2e214aec9af1","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER17MR22.000/ER17MR22.000_original_size.png","height":1284}}},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2022-05568?publication_date=2022-03-17","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2022-03-17/2022-05568/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":13,"page_views":{"count":1675,"last_updated":"2026-06-27 04:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-03-17/pdf/2022-05568.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-05568.pdf?1647434713","publication_date":"2022-03-17","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2022/03/17/2022-05568.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"3072-AC82":{"issue":"202110","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/3072-AC82/passenger-vessel-financial-responsibility","title":"Passenger Vessel Financial Responsibility","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202110&RIN=3072-AC82&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["3072-AC82"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"FMC","document_id":"FMC-2022-0021-0001","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2022-03-18T03:30:04Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":15125,"subtype":null,"title":"Passenger Vessel Financial Responsibility","toc_doc":"Passenger Vessel Financial Responsibility","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Insurance","Maritime carriers","Penalties","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Surety bonds"],"type":"Rule","volume":87}