SUBCHAPTER III—MARITIME LIENS
§31341. Persons presumed to have authority to procure necessaries
(a) The following persons are presumed to have authority to procure necessaries for a vessel:
(1) the owner;
(2) the master;
(3) a person entrusted with the management of the vessel at the port of supply; or
(4) an officer or agent appointed by—
(A) the owner;
(B) a charterer;
(C) an owner pro hac vice; or
(D) an agreed buyer in possession of the vessel.
(b) A person tortiously or unlawfully in possession or charge of a vessel has no authority to procure necessaries for the vessel.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31341(a) | 46:972 (1st sentence), 973 |
| 31341(b) | 46:972 (2d sentence) |
Section 31341(a) lists those persons who are presumed to have authority to procure necessaries for a vessel. These include the owner, master, or a manager at the port of supply; and an officer or agent appointed by the owner, charterer, owner pro hac vice, or buyer in possession of the vessel. This subsection makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31341(b) provides that any person that is tortiously or unlawfully in possession of or in charge of a vessel has no authority to procure necessaries. This subsection makes no substantive change to law.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1989—Subsec. (a)(3).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31342. Establishing maritime liens
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person providing necessaries to a vessel on the order of the owner or a person authorized by the owner—
(1) has a maritime lien on the vessel;
(2) may bring a civil action in rem to enforce the lien; and
(3) is not required to allege or prove in the action that credit was given to the vessel.
(b) This section does not apply to a public vessel.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31342 | 46:971 |
Section 31342 provides that any authorized person providing necessaries for a vessel has a maritime lien on the vessel, may bring a civil action in rem in admiralty to enforce the lien, and is not required to allege or prove that credit was given to the vessel. "Providing" has been substituted for "furnishing" for consistency with other laws. This section makes no substantive change to law. This section does not supersede the prohibition under the Public Vessels Act, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, or the Suits in Admiralty Act, on bringing an in rem action against a public vessel.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1989—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of
§31343. Recording and discharging notices of claim of maritime lien
(a) Except as provided under subsection (d) of this section, a person claiming a lien on a vessel documented, or for which an application for documentation has been filed, under
(1) state the nature of the lien;
(2) state the date the lien was established;
(3) state the amount of the lien;
(4) state the name and address of the person; and
(5) be signed and acknowledged.
(b)(1) The Secretary shall record a notice complying with subsection (a) of this section if, when the notice is presented to the Secretary for recording, the person having the claim files with the notice a declaration stating the following:
(A) The information in the notice is true and correct to the best of the knowledge, information, and belief of the individual who signed it.
(B) A copy of the notice, as presented for recordation, has been sent to each of the following:
(i) The owner of the vessel.
(ii) Each person that recorded under subsection (a) of this section an unexpired notice of a claim of an undischarged lien on the vessel.
(iii) The mortgagee of each mortgage filed or recorded under
(2) A declaration under this subsection filed by a person that is not an individual must be signed by the president, member, partner, trustee, or other individual authorized to execute the declaration on behalf of the person.
(c)(1) On full and final discharge of the indebtedness that is the basis for a notice of claim of lien recorded under subsection (b) of this section, the person having the claim shall provide the Secretary with an acknowledged certificate of discharge of the indebtedness. The Secretary shall record the certificate.
(2) The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction over a civil action in Admiralty to declare that a vessel is not subject to a lien claimed under subsection (b) of this section, or that the vessel is not subject to the notice of claim of lien, or both, regardless of the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties. Venue in such an action shall be in the district where the vessel is found or where the claimant resides or where the notice of claim of lien is recorded. The court may award costs and attorneys fees to the prevailing party, unless the court finds that the position of the other party was substantially justified or other circumstances make an award of costs and attorneys fees unjust. The Secretary shall record any such declaratory order.
(d) A person claiming a lien on a vessel covered by a preferred mortgage under
(e)(1) A notice of claim of lien recorded under subsection (b) of this section shall expire 3 years after the date the lien was established, as such date is stated in the notice under subsection (a) of this section.
(2) On expiration of a notice of claim of lien under paragraph (1), and after a request by the vessel owner, the Secretary shall annotate the abstract of title to reflect the expiration of the lien.
(f) This section does not alter in any respect the law pertaining to the establishment of a maritime lien, the remedy provided by such a lien, or the defenses thereto, including any defense under the doctrine of laches.
(
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 31343 | 46:925 |
Section 31343 provides that any person claiming a lien on a vessel covered by a preferred mortgage may record a notice of lien. This notice must state the nature of the lien, date it was established; the amount; and the name and address of the person claiming a lien, and it must be acknowledged. The Secretary must record a notice of lien if it complies with these requirements. When any part of the indebtedness is discharged, the claimant shall provide the Secretary with a written, acknowledged certificate of discharge of the indebtedness, and the Secretary shall record the certificate. This section makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31343(c) provides that, on the full and final discharge of an indebtedness that is the basis for a claim, the person having the claim shall provide the Secretary with an acknowledged certificate of discharge on the request of the Secretary or owner of the vessel. This subsection makes a substantive change to law by not requiring partial discharges to be filed, as well as making the filing of discharge certificates only at the request of the Secretary or owner of the vessel.
house floor statement
Subsection (d) of this section requires a person claiming a lien on a vessel covered by a preferred mortgage under section 31322(d) to record and discharge the lien as provided by the law of the State in which the vessel is titled.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (e).
2010—Subsec. (a).
2002—
Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
Subsecs. (e), (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of