---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 4702"
description: "Abandonment of barge prohibited"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "47"
chapter_name: "ABANDONMENT OF VESSELS"
section: "4702"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 4702"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s4702"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "f0036c334f33aedb3be66f75519b76cac18ae922d65c0fb04d7ee5a67e459953"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "477628f7f782bbef45946ffaa8722b3add992fadb0c8eba22609e22e7655f4ed"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 4702 - Abandonment of barge prohibited

## Text

An owner or operator of a barge may not abandon it on the navigable waters of the United States. A barge is deemed not to be abandoned if—

(1) it is located at a Federally- or State-approved mooring area;

(2) it is on private property with the permission of the owner of the property; or

(3) the owner or operator notifies the Secretary that the barge is not abandoned and the location of the barge.

(Added Pub. L. 102–587, title V, § 5302, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5082; amended Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(18), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1703.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2006—Pub. L. 109–304 struck out subsec. (a) designation before “An owner”.