---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 57107"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "57107"
heading: "Vessels for other agencies"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/57107"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part F — Government-Owned Merchant Vessels"
  - "Chapter 571 — General Authority"
---

# §57107. Vessels for other agencies

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may construct, reconstruct, repair, equip, and outfit, by contract or otherwise, [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) or parts thereof, for any other department or agency of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Government to the extent the other department or agency is authorized by law to do so for its own account.
- (b) **Effect on Contract Authorization.—** An [obligation](/usc/46/53701.md?p=9) incurred or expenditure made by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) under this section does not affect any contract authorization of the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8), but instead shall be charged against the existing appropriation or contract authorization of the department or agency.
- (c) **Salvaging Cargoes.—**
  - (1) **Reimbursable agreements.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation, acting through the [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) of the Maritime Administration, may enter into reimbursable [agreements](/usc/46/53201.md?p=8) with other Federal entities to provide legal services to such entities relating to the salvaging of cargoes for which such entities have custody, or control, or for which for such entities have trustee responsibilities from [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) in the custody or control of the Maritime Administration or its predecessor agencies. The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may receive and retain reimbursement from such entities for all costs incurred related to the provision of such services.
  - (2) **Amounts received.—** Amounts received as reimbursements under this subsection shall be credited to the fund or account that was used to cover the costs incurred by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) or, if the period of availability of [obligations](/usc/46/53701.md?p=9) for that appropriation has expired, to the appropriation of funds that is currently available to the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) for substantially the same purpose. Amounts so credited shall be merged with amounts in such fund or account and shall be available for the same purposes, and subject to the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in such fund or account.
  - (3) **Advance payments.—** Payments made in advance shall be for any part of the estimated cost as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation. Adjustments to the amounts paid in advance shall be made as agreed to by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation and the head of the ordering agency or unit based on the [actual cost](/usc/46/53701.md?p=1) of goods or services provided.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1661; Pub. L. 116–92, div. C, title XXXV, § 3508, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1976.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 57107 | 46 App.:1125a. | Feb. 6, 1941, ch. 5, § 4, 55 Stat. 6; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(74), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 160. |

In subsection (b), the words “heretofore or hereafter”, “diminish or otherwise”, and “and, to the amount of such obligation or expenditure, diminish” are omitted as unnecessary.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2019—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–92 added subsec. (c).