§ 31329 — Court Sales Of Documented Vessels

(a) A documented vessel may be sold by order of a district court only to— (1) a person eligible to own a documented vessel under section 12103 of this title; or (2) a mortgagee of that vessel. (b) When a vessel is sold to a mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel— (1) the vessel must be held by the mortgagee for resale; (2) the vessel held by the mortgagee is subject to chapter 563 of this title; and (3) the sale of the vessel to the mortgagee is not a sale to a person not a citizen of the United States under section 12132 of this title. (c) Unless waived by the Secretary of Transportation, a person purchasing a vessel by court order under subsection (a)(1) of this section or from a mortgagee under subsection (a)(2) of this section must document the vessel under chapter 121 of this title. (d) The vessel may be operated by the mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel only with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation. (e) A sale of a vessel contrary to this section is void. (f) This section does not apply to a documented vessel that has been operated only for pleasure.