{"data":{"id":"us/46-u.s.c.-56501","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"46 U.S.C. § 56501","heading":"Definition","body":"In this chapter, the term “essential vessel” means a vessel that is—(1)(A) security for a mortgage indebtedness to the United States Government; or (B) constructed under this subtitle or required by a contract under this subtitle to be operated on a certain essential foreign trade route; and (2) necessary in the interests of commerce and national defense to be maintained in condition for prompt use.","path":["Title 46—SHIPPING","CHAPTER 565—ESSENTIAL VESSELS AFFECTED BY NEUTRALITY ACT"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc46@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T06:00:50Z","sha256":"1c8f31ee3b47655df470778938b12ae9e37f67026b1c46b03a322f6262649a54","source_id":"us","stale":false,"prev":"us/46-u.s.c.-56312","next":"us/46-u.s.c.-56502"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}