CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND.
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND	7.CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND The Company is party to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (“MARAD”) that established a Capital Construction Fund (“CCF”) program under provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as amended (the “Merchant Marine Act”). The CCF program was created to assist owners and operators of U.S. flag vessels in raising capital necessary for the modernization and expansion of the U.S. merchant marine. CCF funds may be used for the acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of vessels, and for repayment of existing vessel indebtedness through the deferment of federal income taxes on certain deposits of monies and other property placed into the CCF. Qualified withdrawals from the CCF must be used for investment in vessels and certain related equipment built in the U.S., and for use between covered U.S. ports as described by the Merchant Marine Act (see Item 1 of Part 1 for additional information on Maritime Laws and the Jones Act). Participants of the CCF must also meet certain U.S. citizenship requirements. Deposits into the CCF are limited by certain applicable earnings and other conditions. Such deposits, once made, are available as tax deductions in the Company’s tax provision. Qualified withdrawals from the CCF do not give rise to a current tax liability, but reduce the depreciable basis of the vessels or certain related equipment for income tax purposes. However, if withdrawals are made from the CCF for general corporate purposes or other non-qualified purposes, or upon termination of the agreement, they are taxable with interest payable from the year of deposit. Amounts deposited into the CCF are a preference item for calculating federal alternative minimum taxable income. Deposits not committed for qualified purposes within 25 years from the date of deposit will be treated as non-qualified withdrawals over the subsequent five years. Under the terms of the CCF agreement, the Company may designate certain qualified earnings as “accrued deposits” or may designate, as obligations of the CCF, qualified withdrawals to reimburse qualified expenditures initially made with operating funds. Such accrued deposits to, and withdrawals from, the CCF are reflected in the consolidated balance sheets either as obligations of the Company’s current assets or as receivables from the CCF. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, $174.7 million and $176.6 million of eligible accounts receivable were assigned to the CCF. Due to the nature of the assignment of eligible accounts receivables into the CCF, such assigned amounts are classified as part of accounts receivable in the consolidated balance sheets. At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had $31.2 million and a nominal amount on deposit in the CCF invested in a money market fund, and is classified as a long-term asset in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet, respectively.

7.CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND

The Company is party to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (“MARAD”) that established a Capital Construction Fund (“CCF”) program under provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as amended (the “Merchant Marine Act”). The CCF program was created to assist owners and operators of U.S. flag vessels in raising capital necessary for the modernization and expansion of the U.S. merchant marine. CCF funds may be used for the acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of vessels, and for repayment of existing vessel indebtedness through the deferment of federal income taxes on certain deposits of monies and other property placed into the CCF. Qualified withdrawals from the CCF must be used for investment in vessels and certain related equipment built in the U.S., and for use between covered U.S. ports as described by the Merchant Marine Act (see Item 1 of Part 1 for additional information on Maritime Laws and the Jones Act). Participants of the CCF must also meet certain U.S. citizenship requirements.

Deposits into the CCF are limited by certain applicable earnings and other conditions. Such deposits, once made, are available as tax deductions in the Company’s tax provision. Qualified withdrawals from the CCF do not give rise to a current tax liability, but reduce the depreciable basis of the vessels or certain related equipment for income tax purposes. However, if withdrawals are made from the CCF for general corporate purposes or other non-qualified purposes, or upon termination of the agreement, they are taxable with interest payable from the year of deposit.

Amounts deposited into the CCF are a preference item for calculating federal alternative minimum taxable income. Deposits not committed for qualified purposes within 25 years from the date of deposit will be treated as non-qualified withdrawals over the subsequent five years. Under the terms of the CCF agreement, the Company may designate certain qualified earnings as “accrued deposits” or may designate, as obligations of the CCF, qualified withdrawals to reimburse qualified expenditures initially made with operating funds. Such accrued deposits to, and withdrawals from, the CCF are reflected in the consolidated balance sheets either as obligations of the Company’s current assets or as receivables from the CCF.

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, $174.7 million and $176.6 million of eligible accounts receivable were assigned to the CCF. Due to the nature of the assignment of eligible accounts receivables into the CCF, such assigned amounts are classified as part of accounts receivable in the consolidated balance sheets. At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had $31.2 million and a nominal amount on deposit in the CCF invested in a money market fund, and is classified as a long-term asset in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet, respectively.