Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73

§57112 Requirements for purchasing federally auctioned vessels

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle V— - Merchant Marine › Part Part F— - Government-Owned Merchant Vessels › Chapter CHAPTER 571— - GENERAL AUTHORITY › § 57112

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

To buy a covered vessel from the federal government, a person must prove three things. They must show liability insurance for the vessel operator, have enough money to pay for the vessel’s upkeep, and if the boat needs official documentation under chapter 121, provide an admiralty bond or similar guarantee. A "covered vessel" means one of the following: a government-owned boat transferred under this part and section 548 of title 40; a boat seized or forfeited under any law and auctioned by the Federal Government, including seizures under sections 7301 or 7302 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or a fishing boat seized or forfeited under section 310 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1860).

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §57112

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(a)To be eligible to purchase a covered vessel from the Federal Government, a person shall provide proof of—
(1)liability insurance for the operator of such covered vessel;
(2)financial resources sufficient to cover maintenance costs of such covered vessel; and
(3)with respect to a covered vessel requiring documentation under chapter 121, an admiralty bond or stipulation.
(b)In this section, the term “covered vessel” means—
(1)a government owned vessel disposed of in accordance with this part and section 548 of title 40;
(2)a vessel seized or forfeited pursuant to any law, and auctioned by the Federal Government, including a vessel seized or forfeited pursuant to section 7301 or 7302 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
(3)a fishing vessel seized or forfeited pursuant to section 310 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1860).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 7301 and 7302 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), are classified to section 7301 and 7302, respectively, of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 57112

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73