---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51506"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51506"
heading: "Conditions to receiving payments and use of vessels"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51506"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 515 — State Maritime Academy Support Program"
---

# §51506. Conditions to receiving payments and use of vessels

- (a) **General Conditions.—** As conditions of receiving an annual payment or the use of a [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) under this chapter, a [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4) shall—
  - (1) provide courses of instruction on navigation, marine engineering (including steam and diesel propulsion), the operation and maintenance of [new vessels](/usc/46/53301.md?p=a-2) and equipment, and innovations being introduced to the merchant marine of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10);
  - (2) agree in writing to conform to the standards for courses, training facilities, admissions, and instruction that the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may establish after consultation with the superintendents of [State maritime academies](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4), which shall include standards for a program described in [subsection (c)](#c);
  - (3) agree in writing to require, as a condition for graduation, that each individual who is a citizen of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) and who is attending the [academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) in a [merchant marine officer](/usc/46/51102.md?p=3) preparation program pass the examination required for the issuance of a license under [section 7101 of this title](/usc/46/7101.md); and
  - (4) agree that any individual enrolled at such [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4) in a [merchant marine officer](/usc/46/51102.md?p=3) preparation program—
    - (A) shall, not later than 9 months after such individual’s date of enrollment, pass an examination in form and substance satisfactory to the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) that demonstrates that such individual meets the medical and physical requirements—
      - (i) required for the issuance of an original license under [section 7101](/usc/46/7101.md); or
      - (ii) set by the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) for issuing merchant mariners’ documentation under [section 7302](/usc/46/7302.md), with no limit to the individual’s operational authority;
    - (B) following passage of the examination under [subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A), shall continue to meet the requirements described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A) throughout the remainder of the individual’s enrollment at the [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4); and
    - (C) if the individual has a medical or physical condition that disqualifies the individual from meeting the requirements referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A), shall be transferred to a program other than a [merchant marine officer](/usc/46/51102.md?p=3) preparation program, or otherwise appropriately disenrolled from such [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4), until the individual demonstrates to the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) that the individual meets such requirements.
- (b) **Additional Condition to Payments of More Than $25,000.—** As a condition of receiving an annual payment of more than $25,000 under [section 51505 of this title](/usc/46/51505.md), a [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4) also must agree to admit each year a number of citizens of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) who meet its admission requirements and reside in a State not supporting that [academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1). The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall determine the number of individuals to be admitted by each [academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) under this subsection. The number may not be more than one-third of the total number of individuals attending the [academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) at any time.
- (c) **Armed Forces Merchant Mariner Officer Expedited Preparation Program.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** A [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4) may offer a program under which an eligible individual may complete a [merchant marine officer](/usc/46/51102.md?p=3) preparation program approved by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8), and the requirements for the issuance of a license under [section 7101 of this title](/usc/46/7101.md), in less than 3 years, without a requirement to earn a baccalaureate or other degree from the [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4).
  - (2) **Eligible individuals.—** For purposes of this subsection, an eligible individual is an individual—
    - (A) who is—
      - (i) a [person](/usc/46/53101.md?p=6) who served in the Armed Forces, and who was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions; or
      - (ii) a member of the National Guard or Reserves who has performed at least six years of service therein; and
    - (B) who has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 1002](/usc/20/1002.md))).
- (d) **Secretarial Waiver Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may modify or waive any of the terms set forth in [subsection (a)(4)](#a-4) with respect to any individual or [State maritime academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=4).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1579; Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3515, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2788; Pub. L. 118–159, div. C, title XXXV, § 3534, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2313.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 51506 | 46 App.:1295c(f). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1304(f), as added Pub. L. 96–453, § 2, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2004; Pub. L. 101–115, § 3(a), Oct. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 692. |

In subsection (a)(3), the words “administered by the Coast Guard” are omitted as unnecessary.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3534(1), inserted before semicolon at end “, which shall include standards for a program described in subsection (c)”.

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3534(2), (3), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328, § 3515(1)(A), substituted “shall” for “must” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 114–328, § 3515(1)(B)–(D), added par. (4).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–328, § 3515(2), added subsec. (c).