
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC3792]

 
               TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
 
                        CHAPTER 51--PANAMA CANAL
 
              SUBCHAPTER I--ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATIONS
 
                  Part 6--Tolls for Use of Panama Canal
 
Sec. 3792. Bases of tolls


(a) Tolls based on net vessel tons and on displacement tonnage

    Tolls on merchant vessels, army and navy transports, colliers, 
tankers, hospital ships, and supply ships shall be based on net vessel 
tons of one hundred cubic feet each of actual earning capacity, or its 
equivalent, determined in accordance with the rules for the measurement 
of vessels for the Panama Canal, and tolls on other floating craft shall 
be based on displacement tonnage. The tolls on vessels in ballast 
without passengers or cargo may be less than the tolls for vessels with 
passengers or cargo. Tolls for small vessels (including yachts), as 
defined by the Commission, may be set at rates determined by the 
Commission without regard to the preceding provisions of this 
subsection.

(b) Toll rates prescribed to cover all costs of operation and 
        maintenance of Panama Canal

    Tolls shall be prescribed at rates calculated to produce revenues to 
cover as nearly as practicable all costs of maintaining and operating 
the Panama Canal (including costs authorized to be paid from the Panama 
Canal Dissolution Fund under section 3714a(c) of this title), together 
with the facilities and appurtenances related thereto, including 
unrecovered costs incurred on or after October 1, 1979, interest, 
depreciation, working capital, payments to the Republic of Panama 
pursuant to paragraph 5 of Article III and paragraph 4(a) and (b) of 
Article XIII of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, and capital for plant 
replacement, expansion, and improvements. Tolls shall not be prescribed 
at rates calculated to produce revenues sufficient to cover payments to 
the Republic of Panama pursuant to paragraph 4(c) of Article XIII of the 
Panama Canal Treaty of 1977.

(c) Payment of tolls by vessels of United States

    Vessels operated by the United States, including vessels of war and 
auxiliary vessels, and ocean-going training ships owned by the United 
States and operated by State nautical schools, shall pay tolls.

(d) Levy of tolls

    The levy of tolls is subject to the provisions of section 1 of 
Article III of the treaty between the United States of America and Great 
Britain signed November 18, 1901, of Article I of the treaty between the 
United States of America and the Republic of Colombia signed April 6, 
1914, and of Articles II, III, and VI of the Treaty Concerning Permanent 
Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, between the United States 
of America and the Republic of Panama, signed September 7, 1977.

(Pub. L. 96-70, title I, Sec. 1602, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 489; Pub. 
L. 100-203, title V, Sec. 5427, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330-274; Pub. 
L. 102-484, div. C, title XXXV, Secs. 3513, 3521(b)(2), Oct. 23, 1992, 
106 Stat. 2655, 2657; Pub. L. 105-85, div. C, title XXXV, Sec. 3544, 
Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2072.)


                               Amendments

    1997--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-85 substituted ``and supply ships'' 
for ``supply ships, and yachts'' and inserted at end ``Tolls for small 
vessels (including yachts), as defined by the Commission, may be set at 
rates determined by the Commission without regard to the preceding 
provisions of this subsection.''
    1992--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102-484, Sec. 3513, inserted ``, or its 
equivalent,'' after ``earning capacity''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102-484, Sec. 3521(b)(2), substituted ``Panama 
Canal (including costs authorized to be paid from the Panama Canal 
Dissolution Fund under section 3714a(c) of this title)'' for ``Panama 
Canal''.
    1987--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100-203 inserted ``working capital,'' 
after ``depreciation,''.


                    Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 100-203 effective Jan. 1, 1988, see section 
5429 of Pub. L. 100-203, set out as a note under section 3712 of this 
title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 3751, 3793, 3794 of this 
title; title 46 section 14302.
