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46 U.S.C. 57104: Acquisition of vessels from sale of obsolete vesselsText contains those laws in effect through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
From Title 46-SHIPPINGCHAPTER 571-GENERAL AUTHORITY

§57104. Acquisition of vessels from sale of obsolete vessels

(a)  In General.⁠—The Secretary of Transportation may acquire suitable documented vessels with amounts in the Vessel Operations Revolving Fund derived from the sale of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

(b)  Valuation.⁠—The acquired and obsolete vessels shall be valued at their scrap value in domestic or foreign markets as of the date of the acquisition for or sale from the Fleet. However, the value assigned to those vessels shall be determined on the same basis, with consideration given to the fair value of the cost of moving the vessel sold from the Fleet to the place of scrapping.

(c)  Costs Incident to Lay-Up.⁠—Costs incident to the lay-up of the vessel acquired under this section may be paid from amounts in the Fund.

(d)  Transfers to Non-Citizens.⁠—A vessel sold from the Fleet under this section may be scrapped in an approved foreign market without obtaining additional separate approval from the Secretary to transfer the vessel to a person not a citizen of the United States.

( Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c) , Oct. 6, 2006 , 120 Stat. 1660 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised

Section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

57104

46 App.:1160(i).

June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title V, § 510(i), as added Pub. L. 86–575, July 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 312; Pub. L. 89–254, § 1, Oct. 10, 1965, 79 Stat. 980; Pub. L. 91–469, § 13, Oct. 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 1022; Pub. L. 93–605, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1965; Pub. L. 95–177, Nov. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 1368; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(91), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 161; Pub. L. 101–595, title VII, § 704, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 2994.

In subsection (b), the words “vessel sold from the Fleet” are substituted for “traded-out vessel” for clarity and consistency.

In subsection (d), the words “without obtaining additional separate approval from the Secretary to transfer the vessel to a person not a citizen of the United States” are substituted for “Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 808 and 835 of this Appendix” for clarity and to avoid the cross references.