THE Transportation Institute based in Washington DC claims a 30 per cent increase in employment in the US maritime sector was borne out of the Jones Act
THE Transportation Institute based in Washington DC claims a 30 per cent increase in employment in the US maritime sector was borne out of the Jones Act. The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, requires all goods shipped between American ports to be moved on US-flagged ships with American crews. Opponents of the law say the act flies in the face of the principles of free trade and ramps up shipping costs.
The Transportation Institute was quoted as saying in an American Shipper report: 'Supporters by broad bipartisan majorities in Congress and top US national security officials, the law promotes the maintenance of the nation's vitally important maritime industrial base, ensuring that American jobs are not shipped overseas and that defence capabilities and readiness not outsourced to foreign nations.'
A study published by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute also found the nation's maritime industry creates US$41 billion in labour income for American workers annually and contributes $72 billion each year to the value of US economic output.
According to the Transportation Institute, the 40,000 vessels that make up the Jones Act fleet move one billion tonnes of cargo annually - or one-quarter of all US freight - along US internal waterways, across the Great Lakes and over the high seas to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and US territories.
WORLD SHIPPING
