---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 57304"
description: "Eligible acquisition dates"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "573"
chapter_name: "VESSEL TRADE-IN PROGRAM"
section: "57304"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 57304"
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/s57304"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "65661c248cd1fc48878ef56956681ff4a5b9bbb27a74ee674b04ca377bd89c20"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "6a5879bb52f42f0fa78be9c8eb4641c5ee252c435453ab4c097847fce8aef989"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 57304 - Eligible acquisition dates

## Text

At the option of the owner, the acquisition of an obsolete vessel under this chapter shall occur—

(1) when the owner contracts for the construction or purchase of a new vessel; or

(2) within 5 days of the actual date of delivery of the new vessel to the owner.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1662.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5730446 App.:1160(b) (2d sentence).June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title V, § 510(b) (2d sentence), as added Aug. 4, 1939, ch. 417, § 7, 53 Stat. 1184; Pub. L. 87–401, subdiv. (1), Oct. 5, 1961, 75 Stat. 833; Pub. L. 91–469, § 35(a), Oct. 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 1035; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(91), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 161. The words “At the option of the owner” are substituted for “if the owner so requests” for clarity.