Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110
§56310 Voluntary Purchase or Charter Agreements
Title 46 › Subtitle V — Merchant Marine › Part E — Control of Merchant Marine Capabilities › CHAPTER 563 — EMERGENCY ACQUISITION OF VESSELS › § 56310
Summary
If ships can be requisitioned, the President may have the Secretary of Transportation buy or charter non‑U.S. merchant ships by agreement.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §56310
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
During any period in which vessels may be requisitioned under this chapter as amended, the President is authorized through the Secretary of Transportation to acquire by voluntary agreement of purchase or charter the ownership or use of any merchant vessel not owned by citizens of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section, as added and amended by section 3504(b) of Pub. L. 115–91, is based on act Aug. 9, 1954, ch. 659, § 2, 68 Stat. 675; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(152), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 167, which was formerly classified to section 197 of Title 50, War and National Defense, before being transferred to this chapter and renumbered as this section.
Amendments
2017—Pub. L. 115–91, § 3504(b)(2), inserted section enumerator and catchline and, in text, substituted “this chapter” for “section 902 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936,”. Pub. L. 115–91, § 3504(b)(1), transferred section 2 of act Aug. 9, 1954, to this chapter and renumbered it as this section. See Codification note above.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 56310
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110