Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

sea going vessel

A vessel that - considering its design, function, purpose and capabilities - is normally expected both to carry passengers for hire and to engage in substantial operations beyond the boundary line (set by the Coast Guard) dividing inland waters from the high seas. ( Typically excluded from the definition are pleasure yachts, tugs and towboats, fishing boats, and other vessels that do not ordinarily carry passengers for hire. "Despite the important role a 'vessel' plays in maritime law, there is no settled definition of the term. Congress has defined a vessel as including 'every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.' 1 U.S.C.A. § 3. The Supreme Court has defined vessels as 'all navigable structures intended for transportation.' Cope u. Vallette Dry-Dock Co., 119 U.S. 625 (1887)." Frank L. Maraist, Admiralty in a Nutshell 14 (3d ed. 1996).