U.S. Code
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Title 46
» Subtitle Subtitle II— Vessels and Seamen › Part Part B— Inspection and Regulation of Vessels › Chapter CHAPTER 47— ABANDONMENT OF VESSELS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— BARGES
46 U.S.C. § 4705
Liability of barge removal contractors
(a) A barge removal contractor and its subcontractor are not liable for damages that result from actions taken or omitted to be taken in the course of removing a barge under this subchapter.(b) Subsection (a) does not apply—(1) with respect to personal injury or wrongful death; or(2) if the contractor or subcontractor is grossly negligent or engages in willful misconduct.(Added Pub. L. 102–587, title V, § 5302, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5083; amended Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(19), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1703; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7347(c)(4), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1781.)Editorial NotesAmendments2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “subchapter” for “chapter”.
2006—Pub. L. 109–304 in subsec. (a) struck out par. (1) designation before “A barge removal” and substituted “subcontractor are not” for “subcontractor not”, redesignated par. (2) as subsec. (b) and subpars. (A) and (B) of former par. (2) as pars. (1) and (2) of subsec. (b), respectively, and substituted “Subsection (a)” for “Paragraph (1)”.