Hearing on Vessel Rebuilding

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure conducted a hearing on Rebuilding Vessels under the Jones Act. The law requires, for vessels eligible to engage in the coastwise trade, that any rebuilding, including the construction of any major component of the hull or superstructure, be done in the . Committee Chair James Oberstar (D-MN) noted the need for consistency in application of the rebuild regulations. Subcommittee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-MD) expressed concern about the lack of transparency in the rebuild determination process. Rear Admiral James Watson, USCG, urged Congress to bring greater legislative clarity to the Jones Act. Mr. John Love, Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines, asked Congress to encourage the Coast Guard to require applicants for rebuild to submit detailed information and to allow input from all interested parties. Mr. Matthew Paxton, Shipbuilders Council of America, recommended that the rebuild determination be modified to provide a transparent and predictable process. Mr. Michael Roberts, on behalf of Crowley Maritime, suggested that potentially adversely affected parties should have their concerns addressed early in the process.

Source: HK Law