---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 55334"
description: "Restrictions on operations"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "553"
chapter_name: "PASSENGER AND CARGO PREFERENCES"
section: "55334"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 55334"
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/s55334"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "b34e51184d784f2509b86a582dae5af7c0f858f87a73656b8c0e5ca34cc686e5"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "ca849f78c58593d347e2bcd26fa9c308f7164aab7f1c070517cb8838a41bcfc0"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 55334 - Restrictions on operations

## Text

(a) Prohibitions.— Except as provided in subsection (b), an American Great Lakes vessel may not be used to—

(1) engage in trade—

(A) from a port in the United States that is not located on the Great Lakes; or

(B) between ports in the United States;

(2) transport bulk cargo (as defined in section 40102 of this title) that is subject to section 55305 or 55314 of this title or section 2631 of title 10; or

(3) provide a service (except ocean freight service) as—

(A) a contract carrier; or

(B) a common carrier on a fixed advertised schedule offering frequent sailings at regular intervals in the foreign trade of the United States.

(b) Off-Season Exception.— An American Great Lakes vessel may be used for not more than 90 days during any 12-month period to engage in trade prohibited by subsection (a)(1)(A), except during the Great Lakes shipping season.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1649.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5533446 App.:1241s.Pub. L. 101–624, title XV, § 1523, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3666.