46 U.S.C. § 53310: Obligation of deposits and period for construction of certain vessels

a contract is made for the construction or acquisition of a new vessel or, with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation, for a part interest in a new vessel or for the reconstruction or reconditioning of a new vessel; the deposit is expended or obligated for expenditure under that contract; at least 12.5 percent of the construction or contract price of the vessel is paid or irrevocably committed for payment; and the plans and specifications for the vessel are approved by the Secretary to the extent the Secretary considers necessary; or the deposit is expended or obligated for expenditure for the liquidation of existing or subsequently incurred purchase-money indebtedness to a person not a parent company of, or a company affiliated or associated with, the mortgagor on a new vessel. at least 5 percent of the construction (or, if the contract covers more than one vessel, at least 5 percent of the construction of the first vessel) must be completed within 6 months after the date of the construction contract (or within the period of an extension under subsection (c)), as estimated by the Secretary and certified by the Secretary to the Secretary of the Treasury; and construction under the contract must be completed with reasonable dispatch thereafter. The Secretary of Transportation may grant extensions of the period within which the deposits must be expended or obligated or within which the construction must have progressed to the extent of 5 percent completion under this section. However, the extensions may not be for a total of more than 2 years for the expenditure or obligation of deposits or one year for the progress of construction.