Conversion or surrender of vessel
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, being a captain or other officer or mariner of a vessel upon the high seas or on any other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, piratically or feloniously runs away with such vessel, or with any goods or merchandise thereof, to the value of $50 or over; or
Whoever yields up such vessel voluntarily to any pirate—
Shall be or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 774 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a ship's captain, officer, or crew member to unlawfully run away with the ship, or with cargo worth $50 or more, on the high seas or other U.S. maritime waters. Voluntarily handing the ship over to pirates is also a crime.