§50112 — Title 46 Shipping | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation can name certain colleges or similar nonprofit schools as National Maritime Enhancement Institutes. These institutes can do research and training to help the U.S. maritime industry. Their work covers nine kinds of activities, including improving industry performance and competitiveness in world trade, forecasting trade trends, studying new technology and infrastructure, creating management and training programs, analyzing policy and international agreements, testing new pricing ideas, and improving maritime finance and economics. A school must apply under rules the Secretary sets. The Secretary will pick institutes based on research resources, leadership, existing research and training programs, ability to gather and share national and international information, and nonprofit college status. The Secretary can give matching awards that must be equally matched by the institute, but the federal share cannot exceed $500,000 in total per year. The Secretary can also give grants under section 5505 of title 49 as if the institute were a university transportation center, and must notify and consult the Maritime Administration about those funds through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.

Title 46, §50112

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(a)The Secretary of Transportation may designate National Maritime Enhancement Institutes.

(b)Activities undertaken by an institute may include—

(1)conducting research about methods to improve the performance of maritime industries;

(2)enhancing the competitiveness of domestic maritime industries in international trade;

(3)forecasting trends in maritime trade;

(4)assessing technological advancements;

(5)developing management initiatives and training;

(6)analyzing economic and operational impacts of regulatory policies and international negotiations or agreements pending before international bodies;

(7)assessing the compatibility of domestic maritime infrastructure systems with overseas transport systems;

(8)fostering innovations in maritime transportation pricing; and

(9)improving maritime economics and finance.

(c)An institution seeking designation as a National Maritime Enhancement Institute shall submit an application under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(d)The Secretary shall designate an institute under this section on the basis of the following criteria:

(1)The demonstrated research and extension resources available to the applicant for carrying out the activities specified in subsection (b).

(2)The ability of the applicant to provide leadership in making national and regional contributions to the solution of both long-range and immediate problems of the domestic maritime industry.

(3)The existence of an established program of the applicant encompassing research and training directed to enhancing maritime industries.

(4)The demonstrated ability of the applicant to assemble and evaluate pertinent information from national and international sources and to disseminate results of maritime industry research and educational programs through a continuing education program.

(5)The qualification of the applicant as a nonprofit institution of higher learning.

(e)The Secretary may make awards on an equal matching basis to an institute designated under subsection (a) from amounts appropriated. The aggregate annual amount of the Federal share of the awards by the Secretary may not exceed $500,000.

(f)The Secretary may make a grant under section 5505 of title 49 to an institute designated under subsection (a) for maritime and maritime intermodal research under that section as if the institute were a university transportation center. In making a grant, the Secretary, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation, shall advise the Maritime Administration on the availability of funds for the grants and consult with the Administration on making the grants.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5011246 App.:1121–2.Pub. L. 101–115, § 8, Oct. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 694; Pub. L. 101–595, title VII, § 702, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 2994; Pub. L. 102–241, § 47, Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2227; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [div. C, title XXXV, § 3504], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–493; Pub. L. 108–426, Nov. 30, 2004, § 2(c)(4), 118 Stat. 2424.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation” substituted for “Research and Innovative Technology Administration” in subsec. (f) on authority of title I of div. L of Pub. L. 113–76, set out in part as a note under former section 112 of Title 49, Transportation.

§50112 National Maritime Enhancement Institutes