Bush Administration Deems Jones Act ‘Essential’
In its first public statement on the Jones Act, the Bush Administration has declared the law must be maintained as “an essential element of U.S. maritime policy that provides important economic and national security benefits to the nation, such as support of the U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta made the statement in response to a written question following his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee. The Jones Act requires that cargo moving between U.S. ports be carried in vessels that are U.S.-owned, -built and -crewed. Similar U.S. cabotage laws reserve the movement of passengers and the performance of marine services such as dredging, towing and salvage to U.S.-owned, -built and -crewed vessels.
Shippers Form Working Group On Jones Act Conflict
The Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF) and the National Industrial Transportation (NIT) League have reached agreement on the establishment of a joint working group which will address Jones Act service issues between U.S.-flag carriers and American shippers. The offer of creating such a group was made by the MCTF in a meeting hosted by the NIT League last week in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. At its core, the MCTF offer was an effort to engage the shipper community in a dialogue which goes beyond merely debating the merits of the Jones Act. The objective is to explore common areas of interest between shippers and carriers and to develop operational solutions to logistics problems.
Carriers, Shippers Create Working Group on Jones Act Conflict
The Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF) and the National Industrial Transportation (NIT) League have reached agreement on the establishment of a joint working group which will address Jones Act service issues between U.S.-flag carriers and American shippers. The offer of creating such a group was made by the MCTF in a meeting hosted by the NIT League in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. At its core, the MCTF offer was an effort to engage the shipper community in a dialogue which goes beyond merely debating the merits of the Jones Act. The objective is to explore common areas of interest between shippers and carriers and to develop operational solutions to logistics problems.
