Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle V— Merchant Marine › Part E— Control of Merchant Marine Capabilities › Chapter 565— ESSENTIAL VESSELS AFFECTED BY NEUTRALITY ACT › § 56503
Allows stopping two things: the rule that a ship must be used in foreign trade under its subsidy, mortgage, or other agreement, and the ship’s right to get operating-differential subsidy payments. The Secretary of Transportation may also order several temporary measures to carry out the plan. These include laying up the ship with the government paying or reimbursing necessary expenses or giving a fixed allowance; postponing or rearranging U.S. Government loan principal payments for up to the lay-up period; postponing or canceling interest during lay-up; extending the ship’s 20-year life limit by up to the lay-up period; allowing temporary or emergency use of the ship (counted as part of lay-up); and, when the arrangements end, collecting any net profits over 10 percent a year on the capital used. The ship’s value counts as part of the owner’s capital for the 10 percent calculation. The Secretary may require the ship to be security for repayment.
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Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 56503
Title 46 — Shipping
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60