46 U.S.C. § 51504 Use of Training Vessels

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 46 U.S.C. § 51504

(a) APPLICATIONS TO USE VESSELS.-The Governor of a State sponsoring a State maritime academy (or the Governor of the State designated to conduct the affairs of a regional maritime academy) may apply in writing to the Secretary of Transportation to obtain the use of a training vessel for the academy. A vessel provided under this section remains the property of the United States Government.

(b) GENERAL AUTHORITY.-Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary may provide to a State maritime academy, for use as a training vessel, a suitable vessel under the control of the Secretary or made available to the Secretary under subsection (e). If a suitable vessel is not available, the Secretary may build and provide a suitable vessel.

(c) APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS.-The Secretary may provide a vessel under this section only if-

(1) an application has been made under subsection (a);

(2) the State maritime academy satisfies section 51506(a) of this title; and

(3) a suitable port will be available for the safe mooring of the vessel while the academy is using the vessel.

(d) PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE.-A vessel provided under this section shall be-

(1) repaired, reconditioned, and equipped (with all apparel, charts, books, and instruments of navigation) as necessary for use as a training vessel; and

(2) maintained in good repair by the Secretary.

(e) AGENCY VESSELS.-An agency may provide to the Secretary, for use by a State maritime academy, a vessel (including equipment) that-

(1) is suitable for training purposes; and

(2) can be provided without detriment to the service to which the vessel is assigned.

(f) FUEL COSTS.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall pay to each State maritime academy the costs of fuel used by a vessel provided under this section while used for training.

(2) MAXIMUM AMOUNTS.-The amount of the payment to a State maritime academy under paragraph (1) may not exceed-

(A) $100,000 for fiscal year 2006;

(B) $200,000 for fiscal year 2007; and

(C) $300,000 for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(g) VESSEL SHARING.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, the Secretary, acting through the Maritime Administrator, shall upon consultation with the maritime academies, and to the extent feasible with the consent of the maritime academies, implement a program of training vessel sharing, requiring maritime academies to share training vessel ¹ provided by the Secretary among maritime academies, as necessary to ensure that training needs of each academy are met.