§50109 Miscellaneous Studies

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must study and keep up-to-date records on several shipping topics. They must track how foreign governments help their merchant fleets. They must review which shipping rules should also apply to airplanes in foreign trade. They must look into whether, in an economic or trade emergency, the Secretary should be allowed to help farmers and producers of cotton, coal, lumber, and cement ship their products to foreign ports by cutting rates, adding U.S. ships, or running ships directly until the help is no longer needed. They must study intercoastal and inland water transport and how it connects to land and air transport. The Secretary must also report to Congress about taking old or unused government-owned or merchant ships out of service and about tramp shipping and whether U.S. citizens should operate tramp services under the U.S. flag. Finally, they must study the legal rules for ship mortgage loans to find ways to make those loans safer and to encourage investment in U.S. shipping.