---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 50108"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "50108"
heading: "Studies on cargo carriage and cargo containers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/50108"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part A — General"
  - "Chapter 501 — Policy, Studies, and Reports"
---

# §50108. Studies on cargo carriage and cargo containers

- (a) **Studies.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation shall study—
  - (1) the methods of encouraging the development and implementation of new concepts for the carriage of [cargo](/usc/46/53901.md?p=2) in the domestic and [foreign commerce](/usc/46/53101.md?p=4) of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10); and
  - (2) the economic and technological aspects of the use of [cargo](/usc/46/53901.md?p=2) containers as a method of carrying out the policy in [section 50101 of this title](/usc/46/50101.md).
- (b) **Restriction.—** In carrying out [subsection (a)](#a) and the policy in [section 50101 of this title](/usc/46/50101.md), the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Government may not give preference as between carriers based on the length, height, or width of [cargo](/usc/46/53901.md?p=2) containers or the length, height, or width of [cargo](/usc/46/53901.md?p=2) container cells. This restriction applies to all existing container [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) and any container [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) to be constructed or rebuilt.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1559.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 50108 | 46 App.:1122(f). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 212(f); as added Pub. L. 90–268, § 1, Mar. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 49; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(69), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 159; Pub. L. 98–237, § 20(c), Mar. 20, 1984, 98 Stat. 90. |