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Volume 64 · 309

Public Law 81–427

To continue the authority of the Secretary of Commerce under the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, and for other purposes.

Approved June 30, 1950

Statutory text

AN ACT

To continue the authority of the Secretary of Commerce under the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

That section 14 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, as amended, is amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 14.

No contract of sale shall be made under this Act after January 15, 1951, and no con tract or charter shall be made under this Act after June 30, 1950, except as provided for charter under

Infra; post, p. 309.

subsections (e) and (f) of section 5 hereof, as amended.”

Sec. 2.

The fourth sentence of section 11 (a) of such Act, as

60 Stat. 49.

50 Stat. app. § 1744(a); Sup. III, § 1744 (a).

amended, is amended to read as follows: “A vessel placed in such reserve shall in no case be used for any purpose whatsoever except that any such vessel may be used for account or any agency or department of the United States during any period in which vessels may be

49 Stat. 2015.

46 U. S. C. § 1242.

requisitioned under section 902 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, and that any such vessel may be used under a bareboat charter entered into pursuant to authority vested in the Secretary of Commerce on July 1, 1950, or granted to the Secretary of Commerce after such date.”

Sec. 3.

Section 5 of such Act, as amended, is amended by adding at

60 Stat. 43.

50 U. S. C. app. § 1738; Sup. III, § 1738.

Charters.

Certain cargo vessels.

Supra.

the end thereof subsections to read as follows:

“(e)
(1)

Notwithstanding the provisions of sect ions 11 and 14 of this Act, as amended, war-built dry-cargo vessels owned by the United States on or after June 30, 1950, may be chartered pursuant to this Act for bareboat use in any service which, in the opinion of the Federal Maritime Board, is required in the public interest and is not adequately served, and for which privately owned American flag vessels are not available for charter by private operators on reasonable conditions and at reasonable rates for use in such service. No charters shall be made by the Secretary of Commerce under authority of this subsection until the Federal Maritime Board shall have given due notice to all interested parties and shall have afforded such parties an opportunity for a public hearing on such charters and shall have certified its findings to the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to include in such charters such restrictions and conditions as the Federal Maritime Board determines to be necessary or appropriate to protect the public interest in respect of such charters and to protect privately owned vessels against competition from vessels chartered under this section: Provided, however, That all such charters shall contain a provision that they will be reviewed annually by the Federal Maritime Board, with recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce, for the purpose of determining whether conditions exist justifying continuance of the charters under the provisions of this subsection.

“(2)

A charter existing on June 30, 1950, with respect to a war-built

Extension of charter.

dry-cargo vessel may be extended to October 31, 1950, if application is made within ten days after the enactment hereof for the charter of such vessel under subsection (e) of this section and if the Secretary of Commerce deems such extension is justified in accordance with the provisions of section 5 (e) (1): Provided, however, That a new voyage under such extended charter shall not be begun after October 31, 1950, unless it has been determined prior to such date, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this subsection, that the continued use of the vessel in the service is required. The Federal Maritime Board shall conduct all hearings on applications made under this paragraph immediately upon receipt thereof and shall promptly certify its findings to the Secretary of Commerce, provided that all such certifications shall be made not later than October 31, 1950.

“(f)
(1)

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 11 and 14 of this Act, as amended, the Secretary of Commerce may charter any

Ante, p. 368.

passenger vessel, whether or not war-built, owned by the United States on or after June 30, 1950, pursuant to title VII of the Merchant

49 Stat. 2008.

46 U. S. C. §§ 1191–1204.

Marine Act, 1936, as amended.

“(2)

Charters existing on June 30, 1950, with respect to passenger vessels may be continued until December 31, 1951, or until expiration thereof by the terms of their provisions.”

Sec. 4.

Section 2 of the joint resolution entitled “Joint resolution authorizing the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard to waive compliance with the navigation and vessel-inspection laws administered by the Coast Guard”, approved March 31, 1947 (Public

61 Stat. 33.

46 U. S. C., Sup. III, note prec. § 1.

Post, p. 1120.

Law 27, Eightieth Congress), as amended, is amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 2.

The authority granted by this resolution shall remain in

Time limitation, etc.

force only until January 15, 1951: Provided, That nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard to grant a waiver permitting a vessel to sail with less than its specified complement on board.”

Sec. 5.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 27 of the Act

Iron and coal.

Transportation by Canadian vessels.

46 U. S. C. § 883.

of June 5, 1920 (41 Stat. 999), as amended by Act of April 11, 1935 (49 Stat. 154), and by Act of July 2, 1935 (49 Stat. 442), or the provisions of any other Act or regulation, vessels of Canadian registry shall be permitted to transport iron ore between United States ports on the Great Lakes during the period from the date of enactment of this Act to December 31, 1950, or until such earlier time as the President by order may designate, and such vessels shall be permitted during the period from the date of enactment of this Act to December 31, 1950, to transport coal to Ogdensburg, New York, from other points in the United States on the Great Lakes, or their connecting or tributary waters.

Approved June 30, 1950.

Parsed from the official Statutes at Large USLM XML in 64.xml