WASHINGTON – In the wake of Hurricane Maria, the American Maritime Partnership – the voice of the domestic maritime industry – today published the following message in The Wall Street Journal, vocalizing the industry’s enduring commitment to Puerto Rico. The American maritime industry supports hundreds of Puerto Rican American citizens through family wage jobs on the island and on vessels serving the island and recently invested nearly $1 billion in new vessels, equipment and infrastructure. American maritime stands committed to delivering essential cargoes to areas impacted by the storm to meet the island’s present and future needs, while continuing to support federal hurricane relief efforts.
Quick Facts:
- Domestic maritime companies delivered approximately 11,300 containers with millions of pounds of relief and other supplies to Puerto Rico to help the territory and its residents with the recovery from the damage wrought by Hurricane Maria.
- Domestic Jones Act vessels anticipate delivering an additional 9,000 containers to Puerto Rico, including at least 3,300 containers for FEMA with food, clothing, medicines, and other relief cargoes, over the next two weeks.
- In anticipation of the island’s needs, the domestic American maritime industry stowed approximately 3,000 containers filled with goods in the terminals prior to the Hurricane
- Jones Act vessels have the capacity to carry more than 4,000 containers per week to Puerto Rico.
Click here to learn more about why the Jones Act is critical for Puerto Rico.