Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle V— - Merchant Marine › Part Part E— - Control of Merchant Marine Capabilities › Chapter CHAPTER 565— - ESSENTIAL VESSELS AFFECTED BY NEUTRALITY ACT › § 56503
When a ship’s agreement is changed under this law, the government must stop enforcing the rule that the ship operate in foreign trade under its subsidy contract or mortgage. The government must also stop the ship’s right to receive the operating-differential subsidy. The Secretary of Transportation may then arrange things like laying the ship up and paying necessary expenses or a fixed allowance; postponing or rescheduling government loan payments for up to the total lay-up period (even if some payments fall outside that time); postponing or canceling interest during lay-up; extending the vessel’s 20-year life limit by the lay-up period; allowing short-term emergency use instead of lay-up; and requiring the owner to pay back net profits above 10 percent a year on the capital used. The ship’s value counts as the owner’s capital, and the Secretary may require the ship as security for repayment.
Full Legal Text
Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 56503
Title 46 — Shipping
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73