United States cabotage
Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920, section 27)
- Citizenship requirement
- US-owned + US-built + US-flagged + US-crewed (75% US citizens; master + all officers must be US)
- Vessel flag required
- US-flag only
- Officer quota
- 100% US-citizen officers + 75% US-citizen ratings
- Wage effect
- US-flag Jones Act seafarer wages 2-3× international rates; strong SIU + MEBA CBAs
Notes
One of the strictest cabotage regimes. Applies to all US domestic trades including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam. Waivers rare + politically fraught (e.g. temporary post-hurricane fuel-supply waivers). Recent 2020 waiver for Ever Forward + 2022 for LNG were highly contested.