---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 50110"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "50110"
heading: "Securing preference to vessels of the United States"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/50110"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part A — General"
  - "Chapter 501 — Policy, Studies, and Reports"
---

# §50110. Securing preference to vessels of the United States

- (a) **Possibilities of Promoting Carriage.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation shall investigate, determine, and keep current records of the possibilities of promoting the carriage of [United States foreign trade](/usc/46/53501.md?p=8) in [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10).
- (b) **Inducements to Importers and Exporters.—** 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 the importers and exporters of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) can be induced to give preference to [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10).
- (c) **Liaison With Agencies and Organizations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall establish and maintain liaison with such other agencies of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Government, and with such representative trade organizations throughout the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10), as may be concerned, directly or indirectly, with any movement of commodities in the waterborne export and import [foreign commerce](/usc/46/53101.md?p=4) of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10), for the purpose of securing preference to [vessels](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) in the shipment of those commodities.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1560.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 50110(a) | 46 App.:1121(j) (words between 1st and 2d semicolons). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 211(j) (words between 1st and 2d semicolons), 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. |
| 50110(b) | 46 App.:1122(b)(1). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, § 212(b)(1), (d), 49 Stat. 1990; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(69), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 159; Pub. L. 98–237, § 20(c), Mar. 20, 1984, 98 Stat. 90. |
| 50110(c) | 46 App.:1122(d). |  |