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Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-83

§891c Design of Noaa Vessels

Title 33 › Chapter 17— NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION › Subchapter III— NOAA FLEET MODERNIZATION › § 891c

Last updated Apr 18, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary, through NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Marine and Aviation Operations, must set the requirements for each class of vessel to be built or converted under the Plan and must use competitive contracts with private shipbuilders to get the designs and construction. Each year, when updating the Plan under section 891b, the Secretary must send any existing designs or design proposals that meet the Plan to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §891c

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except for the vessel designs identified under subsection (b), the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall—
(1)prepare requirements for each class of vessel to be constructed or converted under the Plan; and
(2)contract competitively from nongovernmental entities with expertise in shipbuilding for vessel design and construction based on the requirements for each class of vessel to be acquired.
(b)The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, as part of the annual update of the Plan required in section 891b of this title, any existing vessel design or design proposals that meet the requirements of the Plan.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8402(a)(3)(A), substituted “acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations” for “working through the Office of the NOAA Corps Operations and the Systems Procurement Office” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 119–60, § 8402(a)(3)(B), substituted “, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives,” for “shall— “(1) report to Congress identifying any existing vessel design or design proposal that meets the requirements of the Plan within 30 days after October 29, 1992, and shall promptly advise the Congress of any modification of these designs; and “(2) submit to Congress”, and struck out “subsequent” before “existing vessel design”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 891c

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 18, 2026

Release point: 119-83