---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 55604"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "55604"
heading: "Research on marine highway transportation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/55604"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part D — Promotional Programs"
  - "Chapter 556 — Marine Highways"
---

# §55604. Research on marine highway transportation


The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation, in consultation with the [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) of the Environmental Protection Agency, may conduct research on [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1), regarding—

- (1) the economic effects of [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1) on the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) economy;
- (2) the effects of [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1), including with respect to the provision of additional transportation options, on rural areas;
- (3) the environmental and transportation benefits to be derived from [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1) alternatives for other forms of transportation;
- (4) technology, [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) design, and other improvements that would reduce emissions, increase fuel economy, and lower costs of [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1) and increase the efficiency of intermodal transfers; and
- (5) solutions to impediments to [marine highway transportation](/usc/46/55605.md?p=1) projects designated under section 55601.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–140, title XI, § 1121(a), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1761; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIII [LXXXIII], § 8332(d)(4), (5), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4705; Pub. L. 117–263, div. C, title XXXV, § 3521(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3078.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Pars. (1) to (5). Pub. L. 117–263 added pars. (1) and (2) and redesignated former pars. (1) to (3) as (3) to (5), respectively.

2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “marine highway” for “short sea” in section catchline and wherever appearing in text.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.