‘‘§ 30912. Arbitration, compromise, or settlement 
‘‘The Secretary of a department of the United States Government, or the 
board of trustees of a federally-owned corporation, may arbitrate, com-
promise, or settle a claim under this chapter. 
‘‘§ 30913. Payment of judgment or settlement 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The proper accounting officer of the United States 
shall pay a final judgment, arbitration award, or settlement under this chap-
ter on presentation of an authenticated copy. 
‘‘(b) SOURCE OF PAYMENT.—Payment shall be made from an appropria-
tion or fund available specifically for the purpose. If no appropriation or 
fund is specifically available, there is hereby appropriated, out of money in 
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, an amount sufficient to pay the 
judgment, award, or settlement. 
‘‘§ 30914. Release of privately owned vessel after arrest or 
attachment 
‘‘If a privately owned vessel not in the possession of the United States 
or a federally-owned corporation is arrested or attached in a civil action 
arising or alleged to have arisen from prior ownership, possession, or oper-
ation by the United States or corporation, the vessel shall be released with-
out bond or stipulation on a statement by the United States, through the 
Attorney General or other authorized law officer, that the United States is 
interested in the action, desires release of the vessel, and assumes liability 
for the satisfaction of any judgment obtained by the plaintiff. After the ves-
sel is released, the action shall proceed against the United States in accord-
ance with this chapter. 
‘‘§ 30915. Seizures and other proceedings in foreign jurisdic-
tions 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If a vessel or cargo described in section 30908 or 
30914 of this title is arrested, attached, or otherwise seized by judicial proc-
ess in a foreign country, or if an action is brought in a court of a foreign 
country against the master of such a vessel for a claim arising from the 
ownership, possession, or operation of the vessel, or the ownership, posses-
sion, or carriage of such cargo, the Secretary of State, on request of the 
Attorney General or another officer authorized by the Attorney General, 
may direct the United States consul residing at or nearest the place at 
which the action was brought— 
‘‘(1) to claim the vessel or cargo as immune from arrest, attachment, 
or other seizure, and to execute an agreement, stipulation, bond, or un-
dertaking, for the United States or federally-owned corporation, for the 
release of the vessel or cargo and the prosecution of any appeal; or 
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‘‘(2) if an action has been brought against the master of such a ves-
sel, to enter the appearance of the United States or corporation and 
to pledge the credit of the United States or corporation to the payment 
of any judgment and costs in the action. 
‘‘(b) ARRANGING BOND OR STIPULATION.—The Attorney General may— 
‘‘(1) arrange with a bank, surety company, or other person, whether 
in the United States or a foreign country, to execute a bond or stipula-
tion; and 
‘‘(2) pledge the credit of the United States to secure the bond or 
stipulation. 
‘‘(c) PAYMENT OF JUDGMENT.—The appropriate accounting officer of the 
United States or corporation may pay a judgment in an action described 
in subsection (a) on presentation of a copy of the judgment if certified by 
the clerk of the court and authenticated by— 
‘‘(1) the certificate and seal of the United States consul claiming the 
vessel or cargo, or by the consul’s successor; and 
‘‘(2) the certificate of the Secretary as to the official capacity of the 
consul. 
‘‘(d) RIGHT TO CLAIM IMMUNITY NOT AFFECTED.—This section does 
not affect the right of the United States to claim immunity of a vessel or 
cargo from foreign jurisdiction. 
‘‘§ 30916. Recovery by the United States for salvage services 
‘‘(a) CIVIL ACTION.—The United States, and the crew of a merchant ves-
sel owned or operated by the United States, or a federally-owned corpora-
tion, may bring a civil action to recover for salvage services provided by the 
vessel and crew. 
‘‘(b) DEPOSIT OF AMOUNTS RECOVERED.—Any amount recovered under 
this section by the United States for its own benefit, and not for the benefit 
of the crew, shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the depart-
ment of the United States Government, or the corporation, having control 
of the possession or operation of the vessel. 
‘‘§ 30917. Disposition of amounts recovered by the United 
States 
‘‘Amounts recovered in a civil action brought by the United States on a 
claim arising from the ownership, possession, or operation of a merchant 
vessel, or the ownership, possession, or carriage of cargo, shall be deposited 
in the Treasury to the credit of the department of the United States Gov-
ernment, or the federally-owned corporation, having control of the vessel or 
cargo, for reimbursement of the appropriation, insurance fund, or other 
fund from which the compensation for which the judgment was recovered 
was or will be paid. 
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‘‘§ 30918. Reports 
‘‘The Secretary of each department of the United States Government, 
and the board of trustees of each federally-owned corporation, shall report 
to Congress at each session thereof all arbitration awards and settlements 
agreed to under this chapter since the previous session, for which the time 
to appeal has expired or been waived. 
‘‘CHAPTER 311—SUITS INVOLVING PUBLIC VESSELS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘31101.
Short title. 
‘‘31102.
Waiver of immunity. 
‘‘31103.
Applicable procedure. 
‘‘31104.
Venue. 
‘‘31105.
Security when counterclaim filed. 
‘‘31106.
Exoneration and limitation. 
‘‘31107.
Interest. 
‘‘31108.
Arbitration, compromise, or settlement. 
‘‘31109.
Payment of judgment or settlement. 
‘‘31110.
Subpoenas to officers or members of crew. 
‘‘31111.
Claims by nationals of foreign countries. 
‘‘31112.
Lien not recognized or created. 
‘‘31113.
Reports. 
‘‘§ 31101. Short title 
‘‘This chapter may be cited as the ‘Public Vessels Act’. 
‘‘§ 31102. Waiver of immunity 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A civil action in personam in admiralty may be 
brought, or an impleader filed, against the United States for— 
‘‘(1) damages caused by a public vessel of the United States; or 
‘‘(2) compensation for towage and salvage services, including con-
tract salvage, rendered to a public vessel of the United States. 
‘‘(b) COUNTERCLAIM OR SETOFF.—If the United States brings a civil ac-
tion in admiralty for damages caused by a privately owned vessel, the owner 
of the vessel, or the successor in interest, may file a counterclaim in per-
sonam, or claim a setoff, against the United States for damages arising out 
of the same subject matter. 
‘‘§ 31103. Applicable procedure 
‘‘A civil action under this chapter is subject to the provisions of chapter 
309 of this title except to the extent inconsistent with this chapter. 
‘‘§ 31104. Venue 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A civil action under this chapter shall be brought in 
the district court of the United States for the district in which the vessel 
or cargo is found within the United States. 
‘‘(b) VESSEL OR CARGO OUTSIDE TERRITORIAL WATERS.—If the vessel 
or cargo is outside the territorial waters of the United States— 
‘‘(1) the action shall be brought in the district court of the United 
States for any district in which any plaintiff resides or has an office 
for the transaction of business; or 
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‘‘(2) if no plaintiff resides or has an office for the transaction of 
business in the United States, the action may be brought in the district 
court of the United States for any district. 
‘‘§ 31105. Security when counterclaim filed 
‘‘If a counterclaim is filed for a cause of action for which the original 
action is filed under this chapter, the respondent to the counterclaim shall 
give security in the usual amount and form to respond to the counterclaim, 
unless the court for cause shown orders otherwise. The proceedings in the 
original action shall be stayed until the security is given. 
‘‘§ 31106. Exoneration and limitation 
‘‘The United States is entitled to the exemptions from and limitations of 
liability provided by law to an owner, charterer, operator, or agent of a ves-
sel. 
‘‘§ 31107. Interest 
‘‘A judgment in a civil action under this chapter may not include interest 
for the period before the judgment is issued unless the claim is based on 
a contract providing for interest. 
‘‘§ 31108. Arbitration, compromise, or settlement 
‘‘The Attorney General may arbitrate, compromise, or settle a claim 
under this chapter if a civil action based on the claim has been commenced. 
‘‘§ 31109. Payment of judgment or settlement 
‘‘The proper accounting officer of the United States shall pay a final 
judgment, arbitration award, or settlement under this chapter on presen-
tation of an authenticated copy. Payment shall be made from any money 
in the Treasury appropriated for the purpose. 
‘‘§ 31110. Subpoenas to officers or members of crew 
‘‘An officer or member of the crew of a public vessel may not be subpoe-
naed in a civil action under this chapter without the consent of— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary of the department or the head of the independent 
establishment having control of the vessel at the time the cause of ac-
tion arose; or 
‘‘(2) the master or commanding officer of the vessel at the time the 
subpoena is issued. 
‘‘§ 31111. Claims by nationals of foreign countries 
‘‘A national of a foreign country may not maintain a civil action under 
this chapter unless it appears to the satisfaction of the court in which the 
action is brought that the government of that country, in similar cir-
cumstances, allows nationals of the United States to sue in its courts. 
‘‘§ 31112. Lien not recognized or created 
‘‘This chapter shall not be construed as recognizing the existence of or 
as creating a lien against a public vessel of the United States. 
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