763 Items Mailed Aboard Ships (Paquebot)

763.1 General

Mail posted aboard commercial vessels on the high seas may bear postage stamps of the country whose flag the vessel flies. On arrival at a port, an officer of the ship must give the mail to the post office of the foreign city. That post office must cancel the stamps and dispatch the items. If the stamps are foreign, the Post Office facility must use a special Paquebot postmark or apply the word “PAQUEBOT” to the envelope in ink or with a rubber stamp.

763.2 Mail Forwarded by Air

Mail to be forwarded by air must be accompanied by International Form CN 65, Bill. Weight of Airmail Items (formerly AV–2) (similar to PS Form 2710, Statement of Net Weight of the Airmail), prepared by the ship’s officer, showing the weight of the items for each destination, including the United States. The receiving Post Office facility must postmark Form CN 65 in the lower right section titled “Timbre du bureau destinataire.” When airmail is presented at a Post Office facility that is not an international airmail exchange office, the postmaster must transmit the Form CN 65 to the nearest installation listed below:

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS UNIT
US POSTAL SERVICE
BUILDING 250
JOHN F KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
JAMAICA NY 11430–9506

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS UNIT
US POSTAL SERVICE
11690 NW 25TH ST
MIAMI FL 33172–1702

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS UNIT
US POSTAL SERVICE
ROOM 216
2850 BAYSHORE BLVD
DALY CITY CA 94013–0015

763.3 Mail Posted on a U.S. Ship

Mail posted aboard a U.S. ship on the high seas, or aboard any ship while in a U.S. port, must bear U.S. stamps and is not entitled to Paquebot cancellation at a U.S. Post Office facility.

763.4 Forwarding Ship Passenger and Crew Mail

763.41 Items That Do Not Contain Merchandise

As an alternative to 762 and 764, unregistered items or correspondence that does not contain merchandise addressed to crew members or passengers on board a ship may be forwarded in the international mail, by surface or air, in one forwarding envelope addressed to a ship or travel agency under the following conditions:

1. The forwarding envelope in which the items are forwarded should measure approximately 6 x 9 inches and be supplied by the sender. Do not put postage on forwarding envelope, but place the following endorsement in the upper right corner: “THIS ENVELOPE CONTAINS PREPAID LETTERS FORWARDED IN BULK BY AUTHORITY OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE. ANY REQUIRED ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE HAS BEEN AFFIXED TO THE ARTICLES ENDORSED.”
2. The forwarding envelope must be presented unsealed at the mailing office for a check of its contents. Any additional postage required must be paid on each of the articles enclosed, as follows:
1. Articles of U.S. origin. Pay on each article the difference between the postage already paid and the appropriate international price to the new country of destination.
2. Articles originating in other countries. Affix full air postage from the United States to the new country of destination on each article enclosed.
3. Place Label 19–A or Label 19–B in the upper left corner of the envelope immediately below the return address of the sender.
4. The total weight of the forwarding envelope and its contents is limited to 18 ounces.

763.42 Accepting Employee’s Responsibility

The accepting employee must check the envelope to see that any required additional postage has been purchased, affixed, and canceled, and then seal the envelope. The accepting employee must also apply the office date stamp and his or her initials immediately below the sender’s endorsement prescribed in 763.41a.