§ 5101. Definitions

In this chapter—

• (1) “domestic voyage” means movement of a vessel between places in, or subject to the jurisdiction of, the United States, except movement between—
  • (A) a place in a territory or possession of the United States or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; and
  • (B) a place outside that territory, possession, or Trust Territory.
• (2) “economic benefit of the overloading” means the amount obtained by multiplying the weight of the overload (in tons) by the lesser of—
  • (A) the average freight rate value of a ton of the vessel’s cargo for the voyage; or
  • (B) $50.
• (3) “existing vessel” means—
  • (A) a vessel on a domestic voyage, the keel of which was laid, or that was at a similar stage of construction, before January 1, 1986 ; and
  • (B) a vessel on a foreign voyage, the keel of which was laid, or that was at a similar stage of construction, before July 21, 1968 .
• (4) “freeboard” means the distance from the mark of the load line assigned under this chapter to the freeboard deck.
• (5) “freeboard deck” means the deck or other structure the Secretary prescribes by regulation.
• (6) “minimum safe freeboard” means the freeboard that the Secretary decides cannot be reduced safely without limiting the operation of the vessel.
• (7) “weight of the overload” means the amount obtained by multiplying the number of inches that the vessel is submerged below the applicable assigned freeboard by the tons-an-inch immersion factor for the vessel at the assigned minimum safe freeboard.