republic-os/legal/us/code/title-46/chapter-551/section-55101.md

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LegalText	46 U.S.C. § 55101	Application of coastwise laws	us	united_states_code	code_section	46	SHIPPING	551	COASTWISE TRADE	55101	46 U.S.C. § 55101	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t46/s55101	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml	f0d01d226da6a59ba2a3a3e44011eb1614ca3de9ad32651654d059f16c2c96a0	eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f	51802fdd4b17e8f606c5c4aa355f3a80536ef6f1d92987a45a52fd36a71cbd75	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

46 U.S.C. § 55101 - Application of coastwise laws

Text

(a) In General.— Except as provided in subsection (b), the coastwise laws apply to the United States, including the island territories and possessions of the United States.

(b) Exceptions.— The coastwise laws do not apply to—

(1) American Samoa;

(2) the Northern Mariana Islands, except as provided in section 502(b) of the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America (48 U.S.C. 1801 note); or

(3) the Virgin Islands until the President declares by proclamation that the coastwise laws apply to the Virgin Islands.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1632; Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, § 3527(a), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 602.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 55101(a)46 App.:877 (words before last proviso).June 5, 1920, ch. 250, § 21, 41 Stat. 997; Apr. 16, 1936, ch. 228, 49 Stat. 1207; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(47), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 157. 55101(b)(1)48:1664.June 14, 1934, ch. 523, 48 Stat. 963. 55101(b)(2)48:1801 note (Covenant § 503(b)).Pub. L. 94–241, § 1, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263; Pub. L. 98–213, § 9, Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1461; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(d) [title I], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–196. 55101(b)(3)46 App.:877 note.Proc. No. 3215, Dec. 12, 1957, 72 Stat. c19. 55101(b)(4)46 App.:877 (last proviso). In subsection (a), the words “apply to the United States, including” are substituted for “extend to” for clarity. The words “From and after February 1, 1922” and “not covered thereby on June 5, 1920” are omitted as obsolete. The requirement to establish adequate steamship service to the island Territories and possessions is omitted as obsolete. Subsection (b)(2) is based on section 503(b) of the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America (48 U.S.C. 1801 note). Subsection (b)(3) is based on Proc. No. 3215, Dec. 12, 1957, 72 Stat. c19, which provided that the President, “under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the aforesaid section 21 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 [46 App. U.S.C. 877], do hereby declare and proclaim that the period for the establishment of an adequate shipping service for Canton Island is extended until further notice by proclamation of the President, and that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to Canton Island is deferred until it is declared by proclamation of the President that such adequate shipping service has been established”. In subsection (b)(4), the words “and fix a date for the going into effect of same” are omitted as surplus. The provisos of 46 App. U.S.C. 877 relating to the Philippine Islands are omitted as obsolete because of the independence of the Philippine Islands. See Proc. No. 2695, July 4, 1946, 60 Stat. 1352 (22 U.S.C. 1394 note).

Editorial Notes

References in TextSection 502(b) of the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94–241, set out as a note under section 1801 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Amendments2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–181 inserted “or” after semicolon at end of par. (2), redesignated par. (4) as (3), and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: “Canton Island until the President declares by proclamation that the coastwise laws apply to Canton Island; or”.