---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51902"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51902"
heading: "Gallant Ship Award"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51902"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 519 — Merchant Marine Awards"
---

# §51902. Gallant Ship Award

- (a) **Awards to Vessels.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may award a Gallant Ship Award and a citation to a [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) (including a foreign [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9)) participating in outstanding or gallant action in a marine disaster or other emergency to save life or property at sea. The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may award a plaque to the [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9), and a replica of the plaque may be preserved as a permanent historical record.
- (b) **Awards to Crews.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may award an appropriate citation ribbon bar to the master and each individual serving, at the time of the action, on a [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) issued an award under [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Consultation.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation shall consult with the Secretary of State before awarding an award or citation to a foreign [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) or its crew under this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1584.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 51902 | 46 App.:2003. | Pub. L. 100–324, § 4, May 30, 1988, 102 Stat. 576. |

In subsection (a), the words “a vessel (including a foreign vessel)” are substituted for “a United States vessel or to a foreign-flag vessel” to eliminate unnecessary words.