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Title 46 — ShippingRelease 119-73

§53203 Award of operating agreements

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle V— - Merchant Marine › Part Part C— - Financial Assistance Programs › Chapter CHAPTER 532— - CABLE SECURITY FLEET › § 53203

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must make the owner or operator of a ship sign an Operating Agreement with the Secretary before the ship can join the Cable Fleet. The Secretary will start taking enrollment applications no later than 60 days after the chapter becomes effective. Within 120 days of getting an application, the Secretary and the Operating Agency must either approve it and sign the Operating Agreement or give a written reason for denying it. If funds are available, the Secretary will sign Operating Agreements with the ships the Operating Agency picks as best meeting U.S. national security needs. After national security needs are considered, applicants who are U.S. citizens under section 50501 get priority.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §53203

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall require, as a condition of including any vessel in the Cable Fleet, that the person that is the owner or operator of the vessel for purposes of section 53202(c) enter into an Operating Agreement with the Secretary under this section.
(b)(1)Beginning no later than 60 days after the effective date of this chapter, the Secretary shall accept applications for enrollment of vessels in the Cable Fleet.
(2)Within 120 days after receipt of an application for enrollment of a vessel in the Cable Fleet, the Secretary shall approve the application in conjunction with the Operating Agency, and shall enter into an Operating Agreement with the applicant, or provide in writing the reason for denial of that application.
(c)Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall enter into Operating Agreements with those vessels determined by the Operating Agency, in its sole discretion, to best meet the national security requirements of the United States. After consideration of national security requirements, priority shall be given to an applicant that is a United States citizen under section 50501 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The

Effective Date

of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), probably means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 116–92, which enacted this chapter and was approved Dec. 20, 2019.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 53203

Title 46 — Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73