---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 60108"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "60108"
heading: "Duty to transport tendered cargo"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/60108"
units:
  - "Subtitle VI — Clearance, Tonnage Taxes, and Duties"
  - "Chapter 601 — Arrival and Departure Requirements"
---

# §60108. Duty to transport tendered cargo


Clearance may be refused to a vessel or vehicle transporting cargo destined for a domestic or foreign port when the owner, master, or other individual in charge refuses to accept cargo tendered in good condition, with proper charges, for the same or an intermediate port by a citizen of the United States. This section does not apply if the vessel or vehicle is already fully loaded (giving appropriate [consideration](/usc/46/2101.md?p=5) to its proper loading) or is not adaptable to transport the tendered cargo.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 9(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1676.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 60108 | 46 App.:834. | Sept. 7, 1916, ch. 451, § 36, 39 Stat. 738. |

Only the word “cargo” is used, instead of “merchandise”, “freight”, and “cargo”, for consistency in the section.