---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 57520"
description: "Vessel maintenance"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "575"
chapter_name: "CONSTRUCTION, CHARTER, AND SALE OF VESSELS"
section: "57520"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 57520"
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/s57520"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "d531837bd746049be434f9b3dd9dd86ddc8e0bf1846ba190581a515b37110918"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "5740546731aba2ffe77cd869d7b05bea82b6db9016e5c2ca13999817d2364baa"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 57520 - Vessel maintenance

## Text

(a) In General.— A charter under this chapter shall require the charterer, at the charterer’s expense, to—

(1) keep the chartered vessel in good repair and efficient operating condition; and

(2) make any repairs required by the Secretary of Transportation.

(b) Inspection.— The charter shall provide that the Secretary has the right to inspect the vessel at any time to ascertain its condition.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1668.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5752046 App.:1202(b), (c).June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title VII, § 712(b), (c), 49 Stat. 2010; Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 555, § 1, 53 Stat. 1254; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(114), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 163.