Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110
§30916 Recovery by the United States for Salvage Services
Title 46 › Subtitle III — Maritime Liability › CHAPTER 309 — SUITS IN ADMIRALTY AGAINST THE UNITED STATES › § 30916
Summary
U.S. and ship crews of government-owned or -operated merchant vessels can sue to recover payment for salvage work. Money the U.S. recovers for itself must go into the Treasury and be credited to the entity that runs the vessel.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §30916
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Civil Action.—
The United States, and the crew of a merchant vessel owned or operated by the United States, or a federally-owned corporation, may bring a civil action to recover for salvage services provided by the vessel and crew.
(b)Deposit of Amounts Recovered.—
Any amount recovered under this section by the United States for its own benefit, and not for the benefit of the crew, shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the department of the United States Government, or the corporation, having control of the possession or operation of the vessel.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3091646 App.:750.Mar. 9, 1920, ch. 95, § 10, 41 Stat. 528; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(25)(D), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 155. In subsection (a), the words “may bring a civil action to recover” are substituted for “shall have the right to collect and sue” for consistency in this chapter and to eliminate unnecessary words.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 30916
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110