§57532 Operation of Experimental Vessels

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation may run up to 10 government-owned experimental ships each year for development, trials, and testing. These ships can be used in foreign or domestic trade or for a government department. They can be operated under a bareboat charter (renting the ship without crew) or a general agency agreement (an agent running the ship for the government), and the Secretary may do this without following other chartering rules in the subtitle. The Secretary sets the terms of use. Bareboat charters must be at reasonable rates and include protections for the public, including a way to recapture profits under section 57517. Charters and agreements must be reviewed every year to decide if they should continue. A seaman hired through a general agent for these operations has the rights and remedies in sections 1(a) and (c), 3(c), and 4 of the Act of March 24, 1943 (50 U.S.C. 4701(a), (c), 4703(c), and 4704). Defined term: Experimental vessel — a U.S. Government–owned ship (including ones in the National Defense Reserve Fleet) built, rebuilt, or remodeled for experimental or testing use.