46 U.S.C. § 80101 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 46. Shipping § 80101. Vessel stranded on foreign coast

(a) Duties of consular officer.--When a vessel of the United States is stranded on a coast of a foreign country, the consular officer in that country shall take proper measures, to the extent the laws of that country allow, to--

(b) Delivery to owner.--After deducting the expenses, the consular officer shall deliver the property, with an inventory, to the owner of the property.

(c) Limitation on taking possession.--A consular officer may not take possession of property under this section when the owner, master, or consignee is present or able to take possession of the property.