§57101 — Title 46 Shipping | U.S. Code

Summary

When the Maritime Administration gets a ship that is 1,500 gross tons or larger, or another ship the Secretary of Transportation approves, that ship must go into the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Those ships can’t be sold or traded except as allowed in sections 57102–57104, chapters 533, 537, 573, 575, or section 308704 of title 54. Federal agencies may give ships to the Reserve Fleet without payment, but they need approval: Ready Reserve Force transfers must be approved by the Secretaries of Transportation and the Navy; other transfers must be approved by the Secretary of Transportation.

Title 46, §57101

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any vessel acquired by the Maritime Administration of 1,500 gross tons or more or such other vessels as the Secretary of Transportation determines are appropriate shall be placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

(b)A vessel placed in the Fleet under subsection (a) may not be traded out or sold from the Fleet, except as provided in section 57102, 57103, or 57104 or chapter 533, 537, 573, or 575 of this title, or section 308704 of title 54.

(c)All Federal entities are authorized to transfer vessels to the National Defense Reserve Fleet without reimbursement subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Navy with respect to Ready Reserve Force vessels and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to all other vessels.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5710146 App.:1160(j).June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title V, § 510(j), as added Pub. L. 89–254, § 2, Oct. 10, 1965, 79 Stat. 980; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(91), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 161. In subsection (a), the words “vessel acquired by the Maritime Administration” are substituted for “vessel heretofore or hereafter acquired under this section, or otherwise acquired by the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation under any other authority” to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (b), the words “except as provided in section 57102, 57103, or 57104 or chapter 533, 537, 573, or 575 of this title” are substituted for “except as provided for in subsections (g) and (i) of this section. This limitation shall not affect the rights of the Secretary of Transportation to dispose of a vessel as provided in other sections of this subchapter or in subchapters VII or XI of this chapter” because of the restatement.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–31 inserted “, or section 308704 of title 54” before period at end. 2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–91, which directed striking out “maintained under section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 (50 App. 1744)”, was executed by striking out “maintained under section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 (50 App. U.S.C. 1744)” before period at end, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 2012—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–213, § 406, inserted “of 1,500 gross tons or more or such other vessels as the Secretary of Transportation determines are appropriate” after “Administration”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–213, § 407, added subsec. (c).

§57101 Placement of Vessels in National Defense Reserve Fleet