§1122. Maritime problems; cooperation with others; cargo carriage; recommendations

The Secretary of Transportation is authorized and directed-

(a) Study of maritime problems

To study all maritime problems arising in the carrying out of the policy set forth in subchapter I of this chapter;

(b) Inducing preferences for American vessels; construction of super-liners

To study, and to cooperate with vessel owners in devising means by which-

(1) the importers and exporters of the United States can be induced to give preference to vessels under United States registry; and

(2) there may be constructed by or with the aid of the United States express-liner or super-liner vessels comparable with those of other nations, especially with a view to their use in national emergency, and the use in connection with or in lieu of such vessels of transoceanic aircraft service;

(c) Collaboration with owners and builders

To collaborate with vessel owners and shipbuilders in developing plans for the economical construction of vessels and their propelling machinery, of most modern economical types, giving thorough consideration to all well-recognized means of propulsion and taking into account the benefits accruing from standardized production where practicable and desirable; and

(d) Liaison with other agencies and trade organizations

To establish and maintain liaison with such other boards, commissions, independent establishments, and departments of the United States Government, and with such representative trade organizations throughout the United States as may be concerned, directly or indirectly, with any movement of commodities in the water-borne export and import foreign commerce of the United States, for the purpose of securing preference to vessels of United States registry in the shipment of such commodities.

(e) Repealed. Pub. L. 98–237, §20(a), Mar. 20, 1984, 98 Stat. 88

(f) Development and implementation of new methods of cargo carriage; preferences for cargo containers

To study means and methods of encouraging the development and implementation of new concepts for the carriage of cargo in the domestic and foreign commerce of the United States, and to study the economic and technological aspects of the use of cargo containers as a method of carrying out the declaration of policy set forth in subchapter I of this chapter, and in carrying out the provisions of this subsection and such policy the United States shall not give preference as between carriers upon the basis of length, height, or width of cargo containers or length, height, or width of cargo container cells and this requirement shall be applicable to all existing container vessels and any container vessel to be constructed or rebuilt; and

(g) Recommendations for further legislation

To make recommendations to Congress, from time to time, for such further legislation as he deems necessary better to effectuate the purpose and policy of this chapter.

(June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title II, §212, 49 Stat. 1990 ; Pub. L. 90–268, §1, Mar. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 49 ; Pub. L. 97–31, §12(69), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 159 ; Pub. L. 98–237, §20(a), (c), Mar. 20, 1984, 98 Stat. 88 , 90.)

Amendments

1984-Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98–237, §20(a), struck out subsec. (e) which related to investigation of any and all discriminatory rates, charges, classifications, and practices whereby exporters and shippers of cargo originating in the United States are required by any common carrier by water in foreign trade of United States to pay a higher rate from any United States port to a foreign port than rate charged by such carrier on similar cargo from such foreign port to such United States port, and making of recommendations to Congress of measures by which such discrimination could be corrected. See section 1710 of this Appendix.

Pub. L. 98–237, §20(c), struck out undesignated pars. following subsec. (d), "The Federal Maritime Commission is authorized and directed-" and following subsec. (e), "The Secretary of Transportation, is authorized and directed-".

1981-Pub. L. 97–31 substituted in provision preceding subsec. (a) "Secretary of Transportation" for "Commission"; inserted, following subsec. (d), "The Federal Maritime Commission is authorized and directed-"; inserted, following subsec. (e), "The Secretary of Transportation, is authorized and directed-"; and substituted, in subsec. (g), "he" for "it". For prior transfers of functions of the Commission, meaning the United States Maritime Commission, see Transfer of Functions note below.

1968-Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 90–268 added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g).

Savings Provision

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–237 not to affect suits filed before Mar. 20, 1984, or claims arising out of conduct engaged in before Mar. 20, 1984, and filed within 1 year after that date; and agreements, contracts, modifications, and exemptions approved or licenses issued by the Federal Maritime Commission prior to Mar. 20, 1984, to continue as if approved or issued under chapter 36 (§1701 et seq.) of this Appendix, but new agreements, contracts, and modifications to existing, pending, or new contracts or agreements to be considered under chapter 36 of this Appendix, see section 1719 of this Appendix.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of United States Maritime Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 6 of 1949, Reorg. Plan No. 21 of 1950, and Reorg. Plan No. 7 of 1961, set out under section 1111 of this Appendix.