An Act to amend section 613 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended
PL 91-250 (H.R.12605), enacted 05/14/1970

84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-250-MAY 14, 1970 
215 
Public Law 91-250 
AN ACT 
^,y 1
4
^ 1970 
To amend section 613 of tlie Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended. 
[H. R. 12605] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress aJisembled^ That section 613 of seis^.^^^"^^"^ ''^'' 
the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 U.S.C. 1183), is 
off-season 
1 11 
cruises. 
amended by— 
7
5 stat. 89; 
(a) Striking the letter " ( d ) " in subsection (b) after the words 82 stat. 248.' 
"under subsection", and inserting in lieu thereof the letter "(e)". 
(b) Striking subsection (c) and inserting in lieu thereof a new sub-
section (c) to read as follows: 
"(c) The Secretary of Commerce may authorize passenger vessels 
imder operating-differential subsidy contracts to provide domestic 
service between specified ports while the vessels are on voyages in an 
essential service in the foreign commerce of the United States without 
reduction of operating-differential subsidy and the partial payback of 
construction-differential subsidy for operating in tne domestic trades, 
if it finds that such domestic service will not result in a substantial 
deviation from the service, route, or line for which operating-differen-
tial subsidy is paid and will not adversely affect service on such service, 
route, or line." 
(c) Kedesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e) and inserting a 
new subsection (d) to read as follows: 
"(d) When a vessel is being operated on cruises or has been author-
ized under this section to provide domestic passenger services while 
on voyages in an essential service in foreign commerce of the L^nited 
States— 
"(1) it shall carry no mail unless required by law, or cargo 
except passengers' luggage, except between those ports between 
which it may carry mail and cargo on its regular service assigned 
by contract; 
"(2) it may not carry one-way passengers between those ports 
served by another United States carrier on its regular service 
assigned by contract, without the consent of such carrier, except 
between those ports between which it may carry one-way passen-
gers on its own regular service assigned by contract; 
" (3) it shall stop at other domestic ports only for the same time 
and the same purpose as is permitted with respect to a foreign-
flag vessel which is carrying passengers who embarked at a 
domestic port, except that a cruise may end at a different port or 
coast from that where it began and may embark or disembark 
passengers at other domestic ports, either when not involving 
transportation in the domestic offshore trade in competition with 
a United States-flag passenger vessel offering berth service therein, 
or, if involving such transportation, with the consent of such 
carrier: Provided^ however^ That nothing herein shall be con-
strued to repeal or modify section 805(a) of this Act. 
^9 sta^ 2012 
Seqtion 605(c) of this Act shall not apply to cruises authorized under 
"""'"" '^'" 
this section. Notwithstanding the applicable provisions of section 
605 (a) and section 506 of this Act requiring the reduction of operating 
differential subsidy and the partial payback of construction differen-
tial subsidy for operating in the domestic trades, such reduction of 
operating subsidy and partial payback of construction subsidy under 
sections 605(a) and 506, respectively, shall not apply to cruises or 
domestic services authorized under this section." 
(d) Striking subsection (e). 
46 use 1223. 
46 u s e 1175. 
52 Stat. 958. 
46 use 1156. 
75 stat. 89; 
82 stat. 248. 
Approved May 14, 1970. 
46 use u'ss 
47-348 O - 72 - 18 (Pt. 1)