2015 US Code
Title 50 - War and National Defense (Sections 1 - 4705)
Chapter 54 - Merchant Ship Sales (Sections 4401 - 4406)
Sec. 4403 - Charter of vessels

The provisions of sections 57514 and 57516 to 57521 of title 46 shall be applicable to charters made under this section.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 11 and 14 of this Act, as amended, war-built dry-cargo vessels owned by the United States on or after June 30, 1950, may be chartered pursuant to this Act for bareboat use in any service which, in the opinion of the Maritime Administration, is required in the public interest and is not adequately served, and for which privately owned American flag vessels are not available for charter by private operators on reasonable conditions and at reasonable rates for use in such service. No charters shall be made by the Secretary of Transportation under authority of this subsection until the Maritime Administration shall have given due notice to all interested parties and shall have afforded such parties an opportunity for a public hearing on such charters and shall have certified its findings to the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary of Transportation is authorized to include in such charters such restrictions and conditions as the Maritime Administration determines to be necessary or appropriate to protect the public interest in respect of such charters and to protect privately owned vessels against competition from vessels chartered under this section: Provided, however, That all such charters shall contain a provision that they will be reviewed annually by the Maritime Administration, with recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation, for the purpose of determining whether conditions exist justifying continuance of the charters under the provisions of this subsection.

(2) A charter existing on June 30, 1950, with respect to a war-built dry-cargo vessel may be extended to October 31, 1950, if application is made within ten days after June 30, 1950, for the charter of such vessel under this subsection and if the Secretary of Transportation deems such extension is justified in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection: Provided, however, That a new voyage under such extended charter shall not be begun after October 31, 1950, unless it has been determined prior to such date, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this subsection, that the continued use of the vessel in the service is required. The Maritime Administration shall conduct all hearings on applications made under this paragraph immediately upon receipt thereof and shall promptly certify its findings to the Secretary of Transportation, provided that all such certifications shall be made not later than October 31, 1950.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 11 and 14 of this Act, as amended, the Secretary of Transportation may charter any passenger vessel, whether or not war-built, owned by the United States on or after June 30, 1950, pursuant to chapter 575 of title 46, and may charter any war-built passenger vessel owned by the United States for use in the domestic trade of the United States, under the conditions prescribed for the charter of war-built cargo vessels in subsection (e) of this section.

(2) Charters existing on June 30, 1950, with respect to passenger vessels may be continued until December 31, 1951, or until expiration thereof by the terms of their provisions.

(Mar. 8, 1946, ch. 82, §5, 60 Stat. 43; June 28, 1947, ch. 161, §2, 61 Stat. 191; June 30, 1950, ch. 427, §3, 64 Stat. 308; Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1175, 68 Stat. 1050; Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 167; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, §307(12), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1925.)

This Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), is act Mar. 8, 1946, ch. 82, 60 Stat. 41, known as the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, which is classified principally to this chapter. Section 11 of the Act is classified to section 4405 of this title. Section 14 of the Act is set out as a Termination Date note under section 4401 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4401 of this title and Tables.

Section was formerly classified to section 1738 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

In subsec. (c), "sections 57514 and 57516 to 57521 of title 46" substituted for "sections 708, 709, 710, 712, and 713, of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended,", and in subsec. (f)(1), "chapter 575 of title 46," substituted for "title VII of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended," on authority of Pub. L. 109–304, §18(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1709, which Act enacted chapter 575 of Title 46, Shipping.

1989—Subsecs. (a), (b), (d). Pub. L. 101–225 struck out subsec. (a) which related to charter of vessels to citizens and publication of domestic prewar cost as a prerequisite, subsec. (b) which related to rate of charter hire, and subsec. (d) which related to computation of charter hire where an operator is engaged in both foreign and domestic trade.

1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155)(A), (B), substituted "Secretary" for "Commission" and "his" for "its" wherever appearing.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155)(A), substituted "Secretary" for "Commission" wherever appearing.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155)(C), substituted "Secretary of Transportation" for "Maritime Commission".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155)(D), (E), substituted "Maritime Administration" for "Federal Maritime Board" and "Secretary of Transportation" for "Secretary of Commerce" wherever appearing.

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 97–31, §12(155)(E), substituted "Secretary of Transportation" for "Secretary of Commerce".

1954—Subsec. (f)(1). Act Aug. 31, 1954, allowed the chartering of war-built passenger vessels.

1950—Subsecs. (e), (f). Act June 30, 1950, added subsecs. (e) and (f).

1947—Subsec. (d). Act June 28, 1947, added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 85–721, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 710, provided: "That the Secretary of Commerce [now Secretary of Transportation] is authorized to pay to any person to whom he has chartered any vessel under authority of section 5 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, as amended (50 U.S.C. App., sec. 1738) [now 50 U.S.C. 4403], out of the Vessel Operations Revolving Fund established in chapter VIII of the Third Supplemental Appropriations [Appropriation] Act, 1951 (46 U.S.C. [App.], sec. 1241a) [now 46 U.S.C. 50301(a) to (e)], an amount equal to the fair and reasonable expenses incurred by such person, as determined by the Maritime Administrator, during the calendar year beginning January 1, 1957, to activate such vessel. Such amount shall be reduced by the amount of the difference, as determined by the Maritime Administrator, between the charter hire which such person paid for such vessel, and the charter hire which was paid for similar vessels which the United States activated at its own expense during such calendar year."