PUBLIC LAW 109–304—OCT. 6, 2006
120 STAT. 1661
otherwise suitable for use by the United States Government in time of war or national emergency. ‘‘(b) PRICE.—The price paid for the vessel shall be based on a fair and reasonable valuation. However, the price may not exceed by more than 5 percent the cost of the vessel to the owner (excluding any construction-differential subsidy and the cost of national defense features paid by the Secretary of Transportation) plus the actual cost previously expended for reconditioning, less depreciation based on a 25-year life for a dry-cargo or passenger vessel and a 20-year life for a tanker or other liquid bulk carrier vessel. ‘‘(c) DOCUMENTATION.—A vessel acquired under this section that is not documented under the laws of the United States at the time of acquisition shall be so documented as soon as practicable. ‘‘§ 57106. Maintenance, improvement, and operation of vessels ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation may maintain, repair, recondition, remodel, and improve vessels owned by the United States Government and in the possession or under the control of the Secretary, to equip them adequately for competition in the foreign trade of the United States. The Secretary may operate such a vessel or charter the vessel on terms and conditions the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subtitle. ‘‘(b) DOCUMENTATION AND RESTRICTIONS ON OPERATION.—A vessel reconditioned, remodeled, or improved under subsection (a) shall be documented under the laws of the United States and remain so documented for at least 5 years after completion of the reconditioning, remodeling, or improvement. During that period, it shall be operated on voyages that are not exclusively coastwise. ‘‘§ 57107. Vessels for other agencies ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation may construct, reconstruct, repair, equip, and outfit, by contract or otherwise, vessels or parts thereof, for any other department or agency of the United States Government to the extent the other department or agency is authorized by law to do so for its own account. ‘‘(b) EFFECT ON CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION.—An obligation incurred or expenditure made by the Secretary under this section does not affect any contract authorization of the Secretary, but instead shall be charged against the existing appropriation or contract authorization of the department or agency. ‘‘§ 57108. Consideration of ballast and equipment in determining selling price ‘‘The Maritime Administration may not sell a vessel until its ballast and equipment have been inventoried and their value considered in determining the selling price of the vessel. ‘‘§ 57109. Operation of vessels purchased, chartered, or leased from Secretary of Transportation ‘‘Unless otherwise authorized by the Secretary of Transportation, a vessel purchased, chartered, or leased from the Secretary may be operated only under a certificate of documentation with a registry or coastwise endorsement. Such a vessel, while employed solely as a merchant vessel, is subject to the laws, regulations,
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