# § 2278. Explosives on vessels carrying steerage passengers
section 151 of Title 46
Whoever, being the master of a steamship or other vessel referred to in , except as otherwise expressly provided by law, takes, carries, or has on board of any such vessel any nitroglycerin, dynamite, or any other explosive article or compound, or any vitriol or like acids, or gunpowder, except for the ship’s use, or any article or number of articles, whether as a cargo or ballast, which, by reason of the nature or quantity or mode of storage thereof, shall, either singly or collectively, be likely to endanger the health or lives of the passengers or the safety of the vessel, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 805; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
### Historical and Revision Notes
Based on , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Shipping (, ).
Words “except as otherwise expressly provided by law” were inserted to remove obvious inconsistency between sections 831–835 of this title, , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Shipping, and this section.
Words “shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and” were omitted because designation of the offense as a misdemeanor is unnecessary in view of definitive .
Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
, referred to in text, which was based on section 1 of , , was repealed by , , § 4(b), .
### Amendments
1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.