CDC Sets FY2013 Cruise Ship Inspection Fees
The fees are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was created in the 1970s to help the industry prevent gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on ships.
CDC has published the schedule of fees it will charge in fiscal year 2013 (Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2013) to conduct sanitation inspections of cruise ships. The fees are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was created in the 1970s to help the industry prevent gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on ships.
The fees range from $1,300 for the smallest vessels, those under 3,001 gross registered tons according to Lloyd's Register of Shipping, to $15,600 for ships above 120,001 GRT.
Every vessel that has a foreign itinerary and carries 13 or more passengers in subject to twice-yearly inspections and, when necessary, reinspection.
CDC first collected these fees in March 1988. Its Aug. 21 Federal Register notice says cruise ship operators should be aware that if travel costs increase for the Vessel Sanitation Program, the fees may need to be adjusted prior to Sept. 30, 2013. "Travel expenses constitute a sizable portion of VSP's costs," it states.