| Shorttitle: | Abandoned Barge Act of 1992 |
| Longtitle: | An Act to amend title 46, United States Code, to prohibit abandonment of barges, and for other purposes. |
| Colloquialacronym: | ABA |
| Nickname: | Oceans Act of 1992 |
| Enacted By: | 102nd |
| Effective Date: | November 4, 1992 |
| Public Law Url: | https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-106/pdf/STATUTE-106-Pg5039.pdf |
| Cite Public Law: | 102-587 |
| Cite Statutes At Large: | aka 106 Stat. 5081 |
| Title Amended: | 46 U.S.C.: Shipping |
| Sections Created: | § 4701 et seq. |
| Introducedin: | House |
| Introducedby: | Billy Tauzin (D–LA) |
| Introduceddate: | June 15, 1992 |
| Committees: | House Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation |
| Passedbody1: | House |
| Passeddate1: | August 3, 1992 |
| Passedvote1: | Passed voice vote |
| Passedbody2: | Senate |
| Passeddate2: | October 7, 1992 |
| Passedvote2: | Passed voice vote, in lieu of |
| Signedpresident: | George H. W. Bush |
| Signeddate: | November 4, 1992 |
Abandoned Barge Act of 1992, known as the Oceans Act of 1992, is United States federal law prohibiting the abandonment of barges in navigable and territorial waters. The Act of Congress establishes financial penalties and removal procedures for unattended barges exceeding forty-five days. The federal statute provides the U.S. Secretary of Transportation authority to contract with barge removal contractors for abandoned barges of more than one hundred gross tons.
The 1992 legislation was drafted as House Bill H.R. 5397 and Senate Bill S. 3262.[1] The H.R. 5397 bill was superseded by House Bill H.R. 5617 finalizing the Oceans Act of 1992.[2] The Act was passed by the 102nd United States Congressional session and enacted into law by the 41st President of the United States George H.W. Bush on November 4, 1992.
The Act amended Title 46 Shipping creating Chapter 47 Abandonment of Barges with five codified sections defining enforcement for abandoned flat-bottomed marine vessels navigating the America's Marine Highway.
46 U.S.C. § 4701 ~ Definitions
46 U.S.C. § 4702 ~ Abandonment of barge prohibited
46 U.S.C. § 4703 ~ Penalty for unlawful abandonment of barge
46 U.S.C. § 4704 ~ Removal of abandoned barges
46 U.S.C. § 4705 ~ Liability of barge removal contractors
The Abandoned Barge Act has been amended several times:
In 1998, the Coast Guard issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to "establish a statutorily required numbering system for undocumented barges more than 100 gross tons operating on the navigable waters of the United States" in order to " identify parties responsible for the illegal abandonment of barges and prevent future marine pollution from abandoned barges."[9]