US seamen protest a Chinese asphalt tanker operating under a Jones Act waiver, highlighting concerns over foreign competition in coastwise trade.
American mariners staged a protest in Garyville, Louisiana, against a Chinese asphalt tanker operating under a Jones Act waiver that allows foreign-crewed vessels to carry US cargoes, reports Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
The Cosco-owned Jin Zhou Wan has called at Boston, Portland, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before arriving in Garyville to deliver asphalt. Normally, the Jones Act reserves coastwise trade for US-flagged ships and US labor, but a White House waiver has authorized foreign crews until mid-August.
Members of the Seafarers International Union gathered at the refinery pier to denounce the tanker's arrival. Chris Westbrook, SIU vice president for the Gulf Coast, stated that the Jones Act provides family-supporting jobs and strengthens maritime readiness, adding that Chinese state-owned companies should not take work from American vessels.
The waiver was first signed after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices higher. The Trump administration enacted it to stabilize fuel costs, though the Jin Zhou Wan's cargo was asphalt rather than fuel.
Jones Act supporters are pressing the White House to end the waiver early or let it expire on August 16. House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and other Republican leaders have signed a petition urging its closure.
Administration officials have spoken positively about the waiver and have not indicated whether it will be renewed. While energy prices have eased, opponents of the Jones Act continue to push for longer-term changes to coastwise shipping rules.
