Correcting the Record

FACT: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and foreign shipping supply chain crisis, American maritime has provided steady and reliable transportation services for Americans across the United States. read more →

Truth: The Jones Act is not delaying port expansion projects in the United States. In fact, container ports on the West Coast can accept the world’s largest cargo vessels, up to 23,000 twenty-foot containers, and, just this year, a new expansion project at the Port of Virginia allowed for larger cargo vessels to come to the East Coast.    — In response to the article: The Washington Examiner: “America’s Broken Supply Chain” -October 14, 2021 read more →

Truth: Between 2019 and 2021, international carriers raised their rates over ten times, by up to 700% in total, while American maritime has kept rates steady. read more →

Truth: The Jones Act ensures reliable service between Puerto Rico and the mainland United States and does not prohibit foreign carriers from traveling from their country of origin to import goods into Puerto Rico. In fact, on average, nearly two-thirds of the vessels that call on the Port of San Juan are foreign-flagged vessels.   — In response to the article: “Wine Enthusiast: “In Puerto Rico, A Century-Old Policy Hinders the Rise of Natural Wine” -October 20, 2021   read more →

The assertion that the Jones Act is the reason the US imports Russian oil is wrong and demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of global (and domestic) oil markets, fails to recognize that American vessels are regularly carrying crude oil and other petroleum products to markets throughout the country and are in a position to continue to support the needs of refiners and other customers in the United States. Further, a call for a waiver, which would displace American vessels for foreign vessels with foreign workers, is ironic given that the current supply chain and Ukraine crisis shows that our nation must be in control of our own energy and transportation needs read more →

Truth: The Jones Act does not prevent foreign-flagged vessels traveling from other countries from going directly to Puerto Rico and, on average, nearly two-thirds of the vessels that call on the Port of San Juan are foreign-flagged vessels. read more →

Guam has never been subject to the Jones Act. Meanwhile, American Maritime carriers have been praised by the Supply Chain Management Review for their dedicated service to Guam and for beating out their foreign competitors. read more →

The Jones Act is often referred to as the “fourth arm of defense” and provides a stable and ready reserve of American mariners, vessels, and marine assets if needed in times of national emergency. The leadership of the U.S. Transportation Command, which supports sealift capacity for our nation’s military, strongly supports the Jones Act for national security and defense purposes. read more →

Domestic maritime provides reliable and stable service to American consumers and customers. While global supply chains have been under considerable strain due to complications related to the pandemic, these problems have largely been concentrated in the international market and reflected in international shipping rates rather than the domestic maritime industry. Between 2019 and 2021, international carriers raised rates repeatedly, up to 700% in total, while American maritime has kept rates steady. read more →

The Jones Act not only supports thousands of family-waged jobs in Puerto Rico but also provides dependable cargo service to the mainland from the Commonwealth. Shippers report that foreign carriers underperform American carriers' reliable deliveries... read more →

The cost of gasoline is primarily driven by the price of crude oil and the processing of gas, which is spiking. The Jones Act is not a cost driver for increased gas prices, representing an average of less than one cent per gallon of the overall cost of gasoline. read more →

74% of all vessels that call on Puerto Rico are foreign. The Jones Act did not and could not impede other countries from sending aid and ships to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. read more →

The cost of gasoline is primarily driven by the price of crude oil and the processing of gas, which is spiking. The Jones Act is not a cost driver for increased gas prices, representing an average of less than one cent per gallon of the overall cost of gasoline. read more →

The law fundamentally does not prefer any one port over another. The poorly written and researched piece also claims that the Jones Act “prohibits unloading goods at multiple U.S. ports”, which is incorrect. read more →

Truth: This is blatantly false. Domestic maritime provides reliable and stable service to American consumers and customers. Between 2019 and 2021, international carriers raised their rates over ten times, by up to 700% in total, while American maritime has kept rates steady.  — In response to the article: Politico: “What the Supply Chain Crisis Reveals About American Infrastructure” -October 14, 2021   read more →