Maritime Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) for FY2011 for the Maritime Administration for: (1) operations and training activities, including earmarks for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy capital improvements and maintenance and repair for State Maritime Schools training ships; (2) administrative expenses related to maritime guaranteed loan commitments; (3) the disposal of non-retention vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet; and (4) maintenance of a U.S.-flag merchant fleet.
(Sec. 3) Revises the purposes of the United States Merchant Marine Academy to emphasize: (1) its status as an institution of higher education; and (2) maritime-related research and provision of other appropriate academic support, assistance, training, and activities to prepare individuals for service in the U.S. merchant marine.
(Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary, not later than July 31, 2012, to report to Congress on the status of the nation's coastal and inland waterways infrastructure. Authorizes the Secretary to investigate, make determinations concerning, and develop a repository of statistical information on intercoastal water transportation. Authorizes appropriations.
Requires the Maritime Administration to assess, and report to Congress on, the potential for using container-on-barge transportation on the inland waterways system.
(Sec. 5) Eliminates separate landside congestion mitigation projects from the short sea transportation program.
Authorizes the Secretary to designate a project as a short sea transportation project if it will provide transportation services for passengers or freight (or both) that may reduce congestion on landside infrastructure or lead to other public benefits.
(Sec. 6) Declares that certain maritime law limitations shall not affect the Maritime Administration's authority to dispose of National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels or shipyards for recycling.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to establish a green ships program to: (1) identify, evaluate, demonstrate, or improve emerging marine technologies likely to achieve environmental improvements through reduction of air or water emissions, increased fuel economy, or control of aquatic invasive species; and (2) develop and approve a validation and testing regime to certify or validate emerging technologies that demonstrate significant environmental benefits.
(Sec. 8) Authorizes the donation, instead of sale, of non-retention (obsolete) vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.