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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110

§80107 Salvors of Life to Share in Remuneration

Title 46 › Subtitle VIII — Miscellaneous › CHAPTER 801 — WRECKS AND SALVAGE › § 80107

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

If you helped save people after an accident that also involved rescuing a ship or other property, you have a right to a fair share of any money awarded for saving the ship, property, or preventing or reducing environmental damage. That right still exists even if the helping and helped ships are owned by the same person or company. To get that payment, you must bring a civil claim within 2 years after you gave the aid. A court can allow more time if, during those 2 years, there was no reasonable chance to seize the helped or salvaged ship inside the court’s area or inside the territorial waters of the country where you live or have your main business. The rule does not cover warships or U.S. government ships used only for public service.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §80107

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Entitlement of Salvors.—
A salvor of human life, who gave aid following an accident giving rise to salvage, is entitled to a fair share of the payment awarded to the salvor for salvaging the vessel or other property or preventing or minimizing damage to the environment.
(b)Common Ownership of Vessels.—
The right to remuneration for aid or salvage services is not affected by common ownership of the vessels giving and receiving the aid or salvage services.
(c)Time Limit on Bringing Actions.—
A civil action to recover remuneration for giving aid or salvage services must be brought within 2 years after the date the aid or salvage services were given, unless the court in which the action is brought is satisfied that during that 2-year period there had not been a reasonable opportunity to seize the aided or salvaged vessel within the jurisdiction of the court or within the territorial waters of the country of the plaintiff’s residence or principal place of business.
(d)Nonapplication.—
This section does not apply to a vessel of war or a vessel owned by the United States Government appropriated only to a public service.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 80107(a)46 App.:729.Aug. 1, 1912, ch. 268, §§ 1, 3–5, 37 Stat. 242; Pub. L. 102–241, § 40, Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2225. 80107(b)46 App.:727. 80107(c)46 App.:730. 80107(d)46 App.:731. In subsection (c), the words “civil action” are substituted for “suit”, the words “must be brought within 2 years after” are substituted for “shall not be maintainable if brought later than two years from”, and the word “seize” is substituted for “arresting”, for consistency in the revised title. The words “of the plaintiff’s residence or principal place of business” are substituted for “in which the libelant resides or has his principal place of business” for consistency and to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsectoin [sic] (d), the reference to section 2304 of title 46 is omitted because of the amendment to section 2304 in section 14(8) of the bill.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 80107

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110