The Jones Act is once again in the crosshairs of detractors looking to open our domestic transportation service to allegedly cheaper foreign-flagged vessels. This topic frequently comes up after a natural disaster, and no one wants to be seen as a possible hindrance to moving essential goods to the area of need. Therefore, regardless of whether there are U.S. flag vessels available, the Department of Homeland Security will often issue a temporary waiver to the Jones Act to open additional avenues of transportation. (For the record, we do not object to the administration temporarily waiving the Jones Act in time of national emergency.)
By Captain Jere White & Eric F. Smith 2017-11-02 20:58:06