SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL
§31301. Definitions
In this chapter—
(1) "acknowledge" means making—
(A) an acknowledgment or notarization before a notary public or other official authorized by a law of the United States or a State to take acknowledgments of deeds; or
(B) a certificate issued under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, 1961;
(2) "district court" means—
(A) a district court of the United States (as defined in
(B) the District Court of Guam;
(C) the District Court of the Virgin Islands;
(D) the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands;
(E) the High Court of American Samoa; and
(F) any other court of original jurisdiction of a territory or possession of the United States;
(3) "mortgagee" means—
(A) a person to whom property is mortgaged; or
(B) when a mortgage on a vessel involves a trust, the trustee that is designated in the trust agreement;
(4) "necessaries" includes repairs, supplies, towage, and the use of a dry dock or marine railway;
(5) "preferred maritime lien" means a maritime lien on a vessel—
(A) arising before a preferred mortgage was filed under
(B) for damage arising out of maritime tort;
(C) for wages of a stevedore when employed directly by a person listed in
(D) for wages of the crew of the vessel;
(E) for general average; or
(F) for salvage, including contract salvage;
(6) "preferred mortgage"—
(A) means a mortgage that is a preferred mortgage under
(B) also means in
(7) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, unless otherwise noted.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31301(1), (2) | New |
| 31301(3) | 46:911(5) |
| 31301(4) | Derived from 46:971–974 |
| 31301(5) | 46:953(a) |
| 31301(6)(A) | 46:922(b) |
| 31301(6)(B) | 46:951 (2d par. less proviso) |
Section 31301(1) defines the term "acknowledge". This paragraph makes a substantive change to law to expand the current law by allowing a notarization under State law, a form prescribed by the Secretary, as well as a certificate issued under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, 1961.
Section 31301(2) defines "district court". This paragraph makes a substantive change to law by including the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Virgin Islands, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, the High Court of American Samoa, and other Federal territorial courts as they are established. Under current law, only the district courts of the United States have jurisdiction under the Ship Mortgage Act, 1920.
Section 31301(3) defines "mortgagee" as a person to whom property is mortgaged and the trustee authorized under section 31328 that is designated in the trust agreement.
Section 31301(4) defines "necessaries" to include repairs, supplies, towage, and the use of a drydock and marine railway for a vessel. As in all codifications, the term "includes" means "includes but is not limited to" and, therefore, is not intended to be an exclusive listing of those items that a court has determined or may determine as falling within the meaning of the term "other necessaries" as contained in current law. The definition is new, is based on 46 App. U.S.C. 971–974, and makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31301(5) defines "preferred maritime lien" to mean a lien on a vessel that arises before a preferred mortgage was filed under
Section 31301(6)(A) defines "preferred mortgage" to mean a mortgage that meets the requirements of section 31322. This clause makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31301(6)(B) defines "preferred mortgage" to also mean a mortgage on a documented foreign vessel that is preferred under sections 31325 and 31326 for purposes of enforcement of the outstanding mortgage indebtedness. Preference is only granted if the mortgage is executed under the laws of a foreign country, registered under those laws in a public register at the port of registry or at a central office. The use of the word "established" in place of "created" in the current law or "effective" as used in the treaties is not intended to make any substantive change to law. The only substantive changes to law made by this clause are the elimination of the exemption of foreign vessels of less than 200 gross tons, and clarification of the rule of interpretation that if a vessel is registered in one country, but is permitted to fly temporarily the flag of another country (such as through a demise charter), it is the law of the country in which the ownership of the vessel is documented that is used to determine when a mortgage attains preferred status.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—Par. (7).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
"(a) This title [see Tables for classification] and amendments made by this title take effect on January 1, 1989. However,
"(b) An instrument filed before January 1, 1989, but not recorded before that date, is deemed to comply with
"(c) This title and the amendments made by this title do not affect the validity of any instrument filed or recorded before January 1, 1989, if there was a corresponding requirement under the law on December 31, 1988.
"(d) An instrument filed or recorded before January 1, 1989, is deemed to comply with any new requirement under
"(e) Section 102 of this Act and amendments made by that section [enacting former section 30101 and
"(f) Section 104(b) of this Act and the amendments made by section 104(b) of this Act [amending section 808 of the former Appendix to this title] do not apply to any change in control resulting from, or which may at any time result from, any proposed plan of reorganization filed under the United States bankruptcy laws prior to the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 23, 1988], except that transactions undertaken as a result of such a plan shall continue to be governed by section 9 of the Shipping Act, 1916 ([former] 46 App. U.S.C. 808) [see
§31302. Availability of instruments, copies, and information
The Secretary shall—
(1) make any instrument filed or recorded with the Secretary under this chapter available for public inspection;
(2) on request, provide a copy, including a certified copy, of any instrument made available for public inspection under this chapter; and
(3) on request, provide a certificate containing information included in an instrument filed or recorded under this chapter.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31302(1) | 46:927 (1st sentence) |
| 31302(2) | 46:927 (2d sentence) |
| 31302(3) | New |
Section 31302(1) makes all instruments filed for recording or recorded with the Secretary of Transportation available for public inspection. The only substantive change to law made by this subsection is the inclusion of instruments filed for recording, which is in keeping with the new requirements on filing of instruments made in section 31321.
Section 31302(2) requires the Secretary to provide the public with a certified copy of the material made available to the public under subsection (a). This subsection makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31302(3) requires the Secretary, on request, to issue a certificate containing the information included in instruments on file, such as certificates of ownership.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31303. Certain civil actions not authorized
If a mortgage covers a vessel and additional property that is not a vessel, this chapter does not authorize a civil action in rem to enforce the rights of the mortgagee under the mortgage against the additional property.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31303 | 46:954(b) |
Section 31303 makes it clear that, if a mortgage covers a vessel and additional property that is not a vessel, this chapter does not authorize a civil action in rem in admiralty to enforce rights against the additional property. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31304. Liability for noncompliance
(a) If a person makes a contract secured by, or on the credit of, a vessel covered by a mortgage filed or recorded under this chapter and sustains a monetary loss because the mortgagor or the master or other individual in charge of the vessel does not comply with a requirement imposed on the mortgagor, master, or individual under this chapter, the mortgagor is liable for the loss.
(b) A civil action may be brought to recover for losses referred to in subsection (a) of this section. The district courts have original jurisdiction of the action, regardless of the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties. If the plaintiff prevails, the court shall award costs and attorney fees to the plaintiff.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31304 | 46:941(c) |
Section 31304 imposes liability on the mortgagor if the mortgagor, master, or other individual in charge of the vessel does not comply with the statutory requirements. A civil action may be brought in a district court of the United States for losses incurred. If the plaintiff prevails, the court shall award costs and attorneys fees to the plaintiff. This section makes two substantive changes to law. First, is the broadening of its coverage from documented vessels covered by a preferred mortgage to any vessel covered by a mortgage that is filed or recorded under the chapter. The second substantive change repeals the liability on the United States Government for losses caused because the Secretary did not comply with statutory requirements. This is covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act due to the nondiscretionary responsibility of the Secretary.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31305. Waiver of lien rights
This chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving or subordinating at any time by agreement or otherwise the lien holder's right to a lien, the priority or, if a preferred mortgage lien, the preferred status of the lien.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31305 | 46:974 |
Section 31305 provides for the waiver of lien rights by the mortgagee or a person performing or supplying necessaries. This section makes no substantive change to law and is included only because of a like provision in current law. Without this provision the Committee believes these waivers would be permissible as a matter of law as they do not violate any public policy and on their face reflect an arms length transaction between the parties. The inclusion of this provision should not raise the implication that a similar provision is required for other matters that may be waivable as a matter of law.
house floor statement
Section 31305 has been changed to clarify that the chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving by contract the right to a lien, or the priority of that lien.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31306. Declaration of citizenship
(a) Except as provided by the Secretary, when an instrument transferring an interest in a vessel is presented to the Secretary for filing or recording, the transferee shall file with the instrument a declaration, in the form the Secretary may prescribe by regulation, stating information about citizenship and other information the Secretary may require to show the transaction involved does not violate
(b) A declaration under this section filed by a corporation must be signed by its president, secretary, treasurer, or other official authorized by the corporation to execute the declaration.
(c) Except as provided by the Secretary, an instrument transferring an interest in a vessel is not valid against any person until the declaration required by this section has been filed.
(d) A person knowingly making a false statement of a material fact in a declaration filed under this section shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31306 | 46:838 |
Section 31306(a) requires that a person submitting an instrument transferring interest in a vessel to the Secretary for recording is also to file a declaration stating information about citizenship and other information to show that the transfer is not in violation of section 9 of the Shipping Act, or section 37 of that Act in a national emergency. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31306(b) requires that a declaration filed by a corporation must be signed by the president, secretary, treasurer, or other official authorized by the corporation to execute the declaration. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31306(c) invalidates any instrument transferring an interest until the declaration is filed. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31306(d) provides for a criminal penalty for a violation of this section. The amount of the fine is prescribed under
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (a).
2006—Subsec. (a).
1989—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31307. State statutes superseded
This chapter supersedes any State statute conferring a lien on a vessel to the extent the statute establishes a claim to be enforced by a civil action in rem against the vessel for necessaries.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31307 | 46:975 |
Section 31307 provides for preemption of State laws to the extent a claim for necessaries is enforced by a civil action in rem in admiralty against the vessel.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31308. Secretary of Commerce or Transportation as mortgagee
The Secretary of Commerce or Transportation, as a mortgagee under this chapter, may foreclose on a lien arising from a right established under a mortgage under
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31308 | 46:952 (last sentence) |
Section 31308 allows the Secretary of Commerce or Transportation to foreclose on a lien arising from a right established under a mortgage under title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—
2006—
1990—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31309. General civil penalty
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31309 | New |
Section 31309 provides for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for a violation of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of