---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51321"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51321"
heading: "Grants for scientific and educational research"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51321"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 513 — United States Merchant Marine Academy"
---

# §51321. Grants for scientific and educational research

- (a) **Defined Term.—** In this section, the term “qualifying research grant” is a grant that—
  - (1) is awarded on a competitive basis by the Federal Government (except for the Department of Transportation), a State, a corporation, a fund, a foundation, an educational institution, or a similar entity that is organized and operated primarily for scientific or educational purposes; and
  - (2) is to be used to carry out a research project with a scientific or educational purpose.
- (b) **Acceptance of Qualifying Research Grants.—** The [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) may compete for and accept qualifying research grants if the work under the grant is to be carried out by a professor or instructor of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1).
- (c) **Administration of Grant Funds.—**
  - (1) **Establishment of account.—** The Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) shall establish a separate account for administering funds received from research grants under this section.
  - (2) **Use of grant funds.—** The Superintendent shall use grant funds deposited into the account established pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#c-1) in accordance with applicable regulations and the terms and conditions of the respective grants.
- (d) **Related Expenses.—** Subject to such limitations as may be provided in appropriations Acts, appropriations available for the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) may be used to pay expenses incurred by the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) in applying for, and otherwise pursuing, a qualifying research grant.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–91, div. C, title XXXV, § 3512(a), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1918.)