---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 50105"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "50105"
heading: "Studies and cooperation relating to the construction of vessels"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/50105"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part A — General"
  - "Chapter 501 — Policy, Studies, and Reports"
---

# §50105. Studies and cooperation relating to the construction of vessels

- (a) **Relative Costs and New Designs.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation shall investigate, determine, and keep current records of—
  - (1) the relative cost of [construction](/usc/46/53701.md?p=3) of comparable [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) in the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) and in foreign countries; and
  - (2) new designs, new methods of [construction](/usc/46/53701.md?p=3), and new types of equipment for [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9).
- (b) **Rules, Classifications, and Ratings.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall examine the rules under which [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) are constructed abroad and in the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) and the methods of classifying and rating the [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9).
- (c) **Collaboration With Owners and Builders.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall collaborate with [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) owners and shipbuilders in developing plans for the economical [construction](/usc/46/53701.md?p=3) of [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) and their propelling machinery, of most modern economical types, giving thorough [consideration](/usc/46/2101.md?p=5) to all well-recognized means of propulsion and taking into account the benefits from standardized production where practicable and desirable.
- (d) **Express-Liner and Super-Liner Vessels.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall study and cooperate with [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) owners in devising means by which there may be constructed, by or with the aid of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Government, express-liner or super-liner [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) comparable to those of other nations, especially with a view to their use in a national emergency, and the use of transoceanic aircraft service in connection with or in lieu of those [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1558.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 50105(a)(1) | 46 App.:811 (1st sentence words before 1st comma). | Sept. 7, 1916, ch. 451, § 12 (1st sentence words before 1st comma, 2d sentence words before 2d comma), 39 Stat. 732; Ex. Ord. No. 6166, § 12, eff. June 10, 1933; June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 204, title IX, § 904, 49 Stat. 1987, 2016; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(27), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 155. |
|  | 46 App.:1121(d). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 211(d), (j) (words before 1st semicolon), 49 Stat. 1989; Pub. L. 91–469, §§ 4(2), 35(a), Oct. 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 1018, 1035; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(67), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 159. |
| 50105(a)(2) | 46 App.:1121(j) (words before 1st semicolon). |  |
| 50105(b) | 46 App.:811 (2d sentence words before 2d comma). |  |
| 50105(c) | 46 App.:1122(c). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 212(b)(2), (c), 49 Stat. 1990; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(69), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 159. |
| 50105(d) | 46 App.:1122(b)(2). |  |