The Jones Act, officially part of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, is a U.S. maritime law that requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to be transported on vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned, and crewed primarily by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. In logistics, the Jones Act affects domestic ocean shipping, cabotage rules, coastal transport, and cargo movement to places such as Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. markets.
The Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) is a U.S. federal law requiring that cargo transported by water between two U.S. ports must be carried on U.S.-flagged, U.S.-built, and U.S.-crewed vessels. It applies to domestic coastwise trade including moves between the continental U.S. and Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
- Protects the U.S. maritime industry and merchant marine workforce
- Significantly limits competition on domestic U.S. water routes
- Higher freight costs on Jones Act routes compared to international rates
- Certain exemptions apply for qualified foreign vessels during emergency situations
For related logistics context, see Dedola’s ocean freight shipping services and glossary entries on Common Carrier, Ocean Freight, Carrier, and Intermodal Shipping.
