§ 548. Surplus vessels(a) In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the Maritime Administration shall dispose of surplus vessels of 1,500 gross tons or more which the Administration determines to be merchant vessels or capable of conversion to merchant use. The vessels shall be disposed of in accordance with part F of subtitle V of title 46 and other laws authorizing the sale of such vessels. (b) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Vessels and Equipment.—(1) Authority.—The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may dispose of covered vessels and equipment, which would otherwise be disposed of under subsection (a), through sales or transfers under this title. (2) Use of proceeds.—During the 2-year period beginning of the date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, notwithstanding section 571 of this title or section 3302 of title 31, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may—(A) retain the proceeds from the sale or transfer of a covered vessel or equipment under paragraph (1) until expended under subparagraph (B); and (B) use such proceeds, without fiscal year limitation, for the acquisition of new covered vessels and equipment or the repair and maintenance of existing covered vessels and equipment. (3) Covered vessels and equipment defined.—In this subsection, the term “covered vessels and equipment” means survey and research vessels and related equipment owned by the Federal Government and under the control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1090; Pub. L. 109–304, § 17(g)(1), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1708; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8409, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1913.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised

Section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

548

40:484(i).

June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 203(i), 63 Stat. 386; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(15), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 154.
Editorial Notes References in Text

The date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 119–60, which was approved Dec. 18, 2025.

 Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, substituted “Except as provided in subsection (b), the Maritime” for “The Maritime”, and added subsec. (b).

2006—Pub. L. 109–304 substituted “part F of subtitle V of title 46” for “the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1101 et seq.),”.