§51704 Training for maritime oil pollution prevention, response, and clean-up

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must help maritime schools approved by the Secretary set up training programs for preventing, responding to, and cleaning up oil spills. The Secretary may give those schools clear-title U.S.-built offshore supply vessels and tug/supply vessels that the Maritime Administration has because of a loan default under chapter 537. Vessels are given where the Secretary chooses. Schools must use them to train students and maritime workers, make the vessel and trained students available to federal, state, and local spill authorities during an oil spill, and get the Secretary’s permission before selling, trading, chartering, donating, scrapping, or otherwise disposing of the vessel. Schools must not compete with private, documented or titled vessels unless needed to carry out the training. When a school can no longer use a vessel, it must return it to the Secretary, who may give it to another school or dispose of it.