Collapse to view only § 891h. Authorization of appropriations
- § 891. Definitions
- § 891a. Operation and maintenance of NOAA fleet
- § 891b. Fleet replacement and modernization Plan
- § 891c. Design of NOAA vessels
- § 891d. Contract authority
- § 891e. Restriction with respect to certain shipyard subsidies
- § 891e-1. Shipyards located outside of the United States
- § 891f. Use of vessels
- § 891g. Interoperability
- § 891h. Authorization of appropriations
§ 891. Definitions
In this subchapter, the term—
(1) “NOAA” means the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce.
(2) “NOAA fleet” means the fleet of research vessels owned or operated by NOAA.
(3) “Plan” means the NOAA Fleet Replacement and Modernization Plan described in section 891b of this title.
(4) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(5) “UNOLS” means University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System.
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 602, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4299.)
§ 891a. Operation and maintenance of NOAA fleet
The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall operate and maintain a fleet of vessels to meet the requirements of NOAA in carrying out the mission and functions of NOAA, subject to the requirements of this subchapter.
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 603, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4300; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8402(a)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1908.)
§ 891b. Fleet replacement and modernization Plan
(a) In general
(b) Plan elements
The Plan required in subsection (a) shall include the following—
(1) the number of vessels in operation in the NOAA fleet as of the date of submission of the Plan, a description of the status of those vessels, and a statement of the planned and anticipated service life of those vessels;
(2) a plan with respect to operation, maintenance, and replacement of vessels described in paragraph (1), including the schedule for maintenance or replacement and anticipated funding requirements;
(3) the number of vessels proposed to be constructed by NOAA;
(4) the number of vessels proposed to be acquired, leased, or chartered by NOAA;
(5) the number of vessels, or days at sea, that can be obtained by using the vessels of the UNOLS;
(6) the number of vessels that will be made available to NOAA by the Secretary of the Navy, the Director of the National Science Foundation, or any other Federal official, and the terms and conditions for the availability of those vessels;
(7) the proposed acquisition of modern scientific instrumentation for the NOAA fleet, including acoustic systems, data transmission positioning and communication systems, physical, chemical, and meteorological oceanographic systems, and data acquisition and processing systems;
(8) a plan for using small vessels, uncrewed systems, and partnerships to augment the requirements of NOAA for days at sea;
(9) the number of officers of the NOAA commissioned officer corps and professional wage mariners needed to operate and maintain the NOAA fleet, including the vessels identified under paragraph (3); and
(10) current and potential challenges with meeting the requirements under paragraph (9) and proposed solutions to those challenges.
(c) Vessel procurement approval
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 604, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4300; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8402(a)(2), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1908.)
§ 891c. Design of NOAA vessels
(a) Design requirement
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) Exception
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 605, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4300; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8402(a)(3), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1909.)
§ 891d. Contract authority
(a) Multiyear contracts
(1) In general
(2) Required findingsThe Secretary may not enter into a contract pursuant to this subsection unless the Secretary finds with respect to that contract that—
(A) there is a reasonable expectation that throughout the contemplated contract period the Secretary will request from Congress funding for the contract at the level required to avoid contract termination; and
(B) the use of the contract will promote the best interests of the United States by encouraging competition and promoting economic efficiency in the operation of the NOAA fleet.
(3) Required contract provisionsThe Secretary may not enter into a contract pursuant to this subsection unless the contract includes—
(A) a provision under which the obligation of the United States to make payments under the contract for any fiscal year is subject to the availability of appropriations provided in advance for those payments;
(B) a provision that specifies the term of effectiveness of the contract; and
(C) appropriate provisions under which, in case of any termination of the contract before the end of the term specified pursuant to subparagraph (B), the United States shall only be liable for the lesser of—
(i) an amount specified in the contract for such a termination; or
(ii) amounts that—(I) were appropriated before the date of the termination for the performance of the contract or for procurement of the type of acquisition covered by the contract; and(II) are unobligated on the date of the termination.
(b) Service contractsNotwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may enter into multiyear contracts for oceanographic research, fisheries research, and mapping and charting services to assist the Secretary in fulfilling NOAA missions. The Secretary may only enter into these contracts if—
(1) the Secretary finds that it is in the public interest to do so;
(2) the contract is for not more than 7 years; and
(3)
(A) the cost of the contract is less than the cost (including the cost of operation, maintenance, and personnel) to the NOAA of obtaining those services on NOAA vessels; or
(B) NOAA vessels are not available or cannot provide those services.
(c) Bonding authority
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 606, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4301.)
§ 891e. Restriction with respect to certain shipyard subsidies
(a) In general
(b) “Significant subsidy” definedIn this section, the term “significant subsidy” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Officially supported export credits.
(2) Direct official operating support to the commercial shipbuilding and repair industry, or to a related entity that favors the operation of shipbuilding and repair, including but not limited to—
(A) grants;
(B) loans and loan guarantees other than those available on the commercial market;
(C) forgiveness of debt;
(D) equity infusions on terms inconsistent with commercially reasonable investment practices; and
(E) preferential provision of goods and services.
(3) Direct official support for investment in the commercial shipbuilding and repair industry, or to a related entity that favors the operation of shipbuilding and repair, including but not limited to the kinds of support listed in paragraph (2)(A) through (E), and any restructuring support, except public support for social purposes directly and effectively linked to shipyard closures.
(4) Assistance in the form of grants, preferential loans, preferential tax treatment, or otherwise, that benefits or is directly related to shipbuilding and repair for purposes of research and development that is not equally open to domestic and foreign enterprises.
(5) Tax policies and practices that favor the shipbuilding and repair industry, directly or indirectly, such as tax credits, deductions, exemptions, and preferences, including accelerated depreciation, if such benefits are not generally available to persons or firms not engaged in shipbuilding or repair.
(6) Any official regulation or practice that authorizes or encourages persons or firms engaged in shipbuilding or repair to enter into anticompetitive arrangements.
(7) Any indirect support directly related, in law or in fact, to shipbuilding and repair at national yards, including any public assistance favoring shipowners with an indirect effect on shipbuilding or repair activities, and any assistance provided to suppliers of significant inputs to shipbuilding, which results in benefits to domestic shipbuilders.
(8) Any export subsidy identified in the Illustrative List of Export Subsidies in the Annex to the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures referred to in section 3511(d)(12) of title 19, or any other export subsidy prohibited by that agreement.
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 607, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4302; Pub. L. 106–36, title I, § 1002(f), June 25, 1999, 113 Stat. 133.)
§ 891e–1. Shipyards located outside of the United States
On and after December 26, 2007, none of the funds made available in this Act or any other Act may be used for the construction, repair (other than emergency repair), overhaul, conversion, or modernization of vessels for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in shipyards located outside of the United States.
(Pub. L. 110–161, div. B, title V, § 506, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 1925.)
§ 891f. Use of vessels
In implementing the NOAA fleet replacement and modernization program, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall use excess capacity of UNOLS vessels where appropriate and may enter into memoranda of agreement with the operators of these vessels to carry out this requirement.
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 608, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4303; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8402(a)(4), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1910.)
§ 891g. Interoperability
The Secretary shall consult with the Oceanographer of the Navy regarding appropriate measures that should be taken, on a reimbursable basis, to ensure that NOAA vessels are interoperable with vessels of the Department of the Navy, including with respect to operation, maintenance, and repair of those vessels.
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 609, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4303.)
§ 891h. Authorization of appropriations
(a) In general
(b) Limitation on fleet modernization activities
(Pub. L. 102–567, title VI, § 610, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4303; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8402(a)(5), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1910.)