---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 56501"
description: "Definition"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "565"
chapter_name: "ESSENTIAL VESSELS AFFECTED BY NEUTRALITY ACT"
section: "56501"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 56501"
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/s56501"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "50b74f00bf48e04d0e54a788c5b341f697804ef5dd86705ac18700ce3b7ebe4a"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "d512521e4319809e779049ff491c98aac6b70972106e2b079740bd57d8b1e991"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 56501 - Definition

## Text

In this chapter, the term “essential vessel” means a vessel that is—

(1) (A) security for a mortgage indebtedness to the United States Government; or

(B) constructed under this subtitle or required by a contract under this subtitle to be operated on a certain essential foreign trade route; and

(2) necessary in the interests of commerce and national defense to be maintained in condition for prompt use.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1656.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5650146 App.:1242a(a).June 29, 1940, ch. 442, subdiv. (a), 54 Stat. 684.