USC Subchapter I

in effect

46 U.S.C. § 31301 Definitions

In this chapter— (1) “acknowledge” means making—(A) an acknowledgment or notarization before a notary public or other official authorized by a law of the United States or a State to take acknowledgments of deeds; or (B) a certificate issued under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, 1961; (2) “district court” means—(A) a district court of the United States (as defined in section 451 of title 28); (B) the District Court of Guam; (C) the District Court of the Virgin Islands; (D) the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands; (E) the High Court of American Samoa; and (F) any other court of original jurisdiction of a territory or possession of the United States; (3) “mortgagee” means—(A) a person to whom property is mortgaged; or (B) when a mortgage on a vessel involves a trust, the trustee that is designated in the trust agreement; (4) “necessaries” includes repairs, supplies, towage, and the use of a dry dock or marine railway; (5) “preferred maritime lien” means a maritime lien on a vessel—(A) arising before a preferred mortgage was filed under section 31321 of this title; (B) for damage arising out of maritime tort; (C) for wages of a stevedore when employed directly by a person listed in section 31341 of this title; (D) for wages of the crew of the vessel; (E) for general average; or (F) for salvage, including contract salvage; (6) “preferred mortgage”—(A) means a mortgage that is a preferred mortgage under section 31322 of this title; and (B) also means in sections 31325 and 31326 of this title, a mortgage, hypothecation, or similar charge that is established as a security on a foreign vessel if the mortgage, hypothecation, or similar charge was executed under the laws of the foreign country under whose laws the ownership of the vessel is documented and has been registered under those laws in a public register at the port of registry of the vessel or at a central office; and (7) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, unless otherwise noted.

46 U.S.C. § 31302 Availability of instruments, copies, and information

The Secretary shall— (1) make any instrument filed or recorded with the Secretary under this chapter available for public inspection; (2) on request, provide a copy, including a certified copy, of any instrument made available for public inspection under this chapter; and (3) on request, provide a certificate containing information included in an instrument filed or recorded under this chapter.

46 U.S.C. § 31303 Certain civil actions not authorized

If a mortgage covers a vessel and additional property that is not a vessel, this chapter does not authorize a civil action in rem to enforce the rights of the mortgagee under the mortgage against the additional property.

46 U.S.C. § 31304 Liability for noncompliance

(a) If a person makes a contract secured by, or on the credit of, a vessel covered by a mortgage filed or recorded under this chapter and sustains a monetary loss because the mortgagor or the master or other individual in charge of the vessel does not comply with a requirement imposed on the mortgagor, master, or individual under this chapter, the mortgagor is liable for the loss. (b) A civil action may be brought to recover for losses referred to in subsection (a) of this section. The district courts have original jurisdiction of the action, regardless of the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties. If the plaintiff prevails, the court shall award costs and attorney fees to the plaintiff.

46 U.S.C. § 31305 Waiver of lien rights

This chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving or subordinating at any time by agreement or otherwise the lien holder’s right to a lien, the priority or, if a preferred mortgage lien, the preferred status of the lien.

46 U.S.C. § 31306 Declaration of citizenship

(a) Except as provided by the Secretary, when an instrument transferring an interest in a vessel is presented to the Secretary for filing or recording, the transferee shall file with the instrument a declaration, in the form the Secretary may prescribe by regulation, stating information about citizenship and other information the Secretary may require to show the transaction involved does not violate section 56102 or 56103 of this title. (b) A declaration under this section filed by a corporation must be signed by its president, secretary, treasurer, or other official authorized by the corporation to execute the declaration. (c) Except as provided by the Secretary, an instrument transferring an interest in a vessel is not valid against any person until the declaration required by this section has been filed. (d) A person knowingly making a false statement of a material fact in a declaration filed under this section shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.

46 U.S.C. § 31307 State statutes superseded

This chapter supersedes any State statute conferring a lien on a vessel to the extent the statute establishes a claim to be enforced by a civil action in rem against the vessel for necessaries.

46 U.S.C. § 31308 Secretary of Commerce or Transportation as mortgagee

The Secretary of Commerce or Transportation, as a mortgagee under this chapter, may foreclose on a lien arising from a right established under a mortgage under chapter 537 of this title, subject to section 362(b) of title 11.

46 U.S.C. § 31309 General civil penalty

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000.