---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51704"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51704"
heading: "Training for maritime oil pollution prevention, response, and clean-up"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51704"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 517 — Other Support for Merchant Marine Training"
---

# §51704. Training for maritime oil pollution prevention, response, and clean-up

- (a) **Assistance in Establishing Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation shall assist maritime training institutions approved by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) in establishing a training program for maritime [oil](/usc/46/2101.md?p=28) pollution prevention, response, and clean-up.
- (b) **Providing Training Vessels.—** Subject to [subsection (c)](#c), the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may provide, with title free of all liens, to maritime training institutions that have a program established under [subsection (a)](#a), [offshore supply vessels](/usc/46/2101.md?p=27) and tug/supply [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) that were built in the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) and are in the possession of the Maritime Administration because of a default on a loan guaranteed under [chapter 537](/usc/46/chstV/ptC/ch537.md) of this title.
- (c) **Requirements.—** In addition to any other requirements the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) considers appropriate, the following requirements apply to [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) provided under this section:
  - (1) The [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) shall be offered to the institution at a location selected by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8).
  - (2) The institution shall use the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) to train students and appropriate maritime industry personnel in [oil](/usc/46/2101.md?p=28) spill prevention, response, clean-up, and related skills.
  - (3) The institution shall make the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) and qualified students available to appropriate Federal, State, and local [oil](/usc/46/2101.md?p=28) spill response authorities when there is a maritime [oil](/usc/46/2101.md?p=28) spill.
  - (4) The institution may not sell, trade, charter, donate, scrap, or in any way alter or dispose of the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) without prior approval of the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8).
  - (5) The institution may not use the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) in competition with a privately-owned [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) documented under [chapter 121](/usc/46/chstII/ptH/ch121.md) of this title or titled under the law of a State, unless necessary to carry out this section.
  - (6) When the institution can no longer use the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) for its training program, the institution shall return the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) to the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8). The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall take possession at the institution and thereafter may provide the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) to another institution under this section or dispose of the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1583.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 51704(a) | 46 App.:1295d(c)(1). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1305(c), as added Pub. L. 101–595, title VII, § 712, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 2998. |
| 51704(b) | 46 App.:1295d(c) (2)(A), (4). |  |
| 51704(c) | 46 App.:1295d(c) (2)(B), (3). |  |

In subsection (c)(5), the words “or titled under the law of a State” are substituted for “documented under the laws of . . . any State” for consistency with the terminology in 46 U.S.C. 2101(46) (which is being moved to chapter 1 of the revised title) and 46 U.S.C. ch. 125.