U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 1273a. Certain loan guarantees and commitments

(a) The Administrator of the Maritime Administration may not issue a guarantee or commitment to guarantee a loan for the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of a liner vessel under the authority of title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) after October 14, 1998, unless the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission certifies that the operator of such vessel—

(1) has not been found by the Commission to have violated section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 App. U.S.C. 876), or the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988 [46 App. U.S.C. 1710a], within the previous 5 years; and

(2) has not been found by the Commission to have committed a violation of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 App. U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), which involves unjust or unfair discriminatory treatment or undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage with respect to a United States shipper, ocean transportation intermediary, ocean common carrier, or port within the previous 5 years.

(b) The Secretary of Commerce may not issue a guarantee or a commitment to guarantee a loan for the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of a fishing vessel under the authority of title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) if the fishing vessel operator has been—

(1) held liable or liable in rem for a civil penalty pursuant to section 1858 of title 16 and not paid the penalty;

(2) found guilty of an offense pursuant to section 1859 of title 16 and not paid the assessed fine or served the assessed sentence;

(3) held liable for a civil or criminal penalty pursuant to section 1375 of title 16 and not paid the assessed fine or served the assessed sentence; or

(4) held liable for a civil penalty by the Coast Guard pursuant to title 33 or 46 and not paid the assessed fine.

Tips