2016 US Code
Title 46 - Shipping
Subtitle V - Merchant Marine
Part F - Government-Owned Merchant Vessels
Chapter 575 - Construction, Charter, and Sale of Vessels
Subchapter III - Miscellaneous
Sec. 57532 - Operation of experimental vessels

(a) Definition.—In this section, the term "experimental vessel" means a vessel owned by the United States Government (including a vessel in the National Defense Reserve Fleet) that has been constructed, reconditioned, or remodeled for experimental or testing purposes.

(b) Authority To Operate.—The Secretary of Transportation, for the purpose of practical development, trial, and testing, may operate an experimental vessel under a bareboat charter or general agency agreement in the foreign or domestic trade of the United States or for use for the account of a department or agency of the Government, without regard to other provisions of this subtitle and other laws related to chartering and general agency operations. Not more than 10 vessels may be operated and tested under this section in any one year.

(c) Terms of Operation.—Operation of a vessel under this section shall be on terms the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subtitle. A bareboat charter under this section shall be at reasonable rates and include restrictions the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the public interest, including provisions for recapture of profits under section 57517 of this title. A charter or general agency agreement under this section shall be reviewed annually to determine whether conditions exist to justify continuance of the charter or agreement.

(d) Rights of Seamen.—A seaman engaged in vessel operations of the Secretary under this section and employed through a general agent in connection with a charter or agreement under this section is entitled to all the rights and remedies provided in sections 1(a) and (c), 3(c), and 4 of the Act of March 24, 1943 (50 App. U.S.C. 1291(a), (c), 1293(c), 1294).¹

(Pub. L. 109–304, §8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1670.)

Subsection (d) is substituted for "Those provisions of law prescribed or incorporated under section 1241a of this Appendix, which relate to vessel operating activities of the Secretary of Transportation and to employment of seamen through general agents, shall be applicable in connection with charters and agreements entered into under this section" for clarity.

Sections 1(a) and (c), 3(c), and 4 of the Act of March 24, 1943 (50 App. U.S.C. 1291(a), (c), 1293(c), 1294), referred to in subsec. (d), are sections 1(a) and (c), 3(c), and 4 of act Mar. 24, 1943, ch. 26, 57 Stat. 45, 47, 49, 51, which were formerly classified to sections 1291(a), (c), 1293(c), and 1294 of the former Appendix to Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to editorial reclassification as sections 4701(a), (c), 4703(c), and 4704, respectively, of Title 50.

¹ See References in Text note below.