Legal Definitions - Jones Act vessel

A Jones Act vessel refers to any ship or boat that operates in U.S. domestic commerce and meets specific requirements outlined in the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act. This legislation aims to support the U.S. maritime industry and protect American maritime workers.

To be considered a Jones Act vessel, a ship must generally satisfy the following criteria:

• It must be built in the United States.
• It must be owned by U.S. citizens or corporations that are at least 75% owned by U.S. citizens.
• It must be crewed primarily by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• It must be engaged in "coastwise trade," meaning it transports cargo or passengers between points in the United States, including its territories and possessions.

Here are some examples illustrating what constitutes a Jones Act vessel:

• Imagine a large container ship regularly transporting consumer goods, such as electronics and clothing, from the port of Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii. This vessel is moving cargo between two U.S. points. For this domestic trade route to be legal under U.S. law, the ship must be a Jones Act vessel, meaning it was constructed in an American shipyard, is owned by U.S. entities, and employs a crew predominantly composed of U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

• Consider a specialized supply boat that ferries equipment, tools, and personnel from a port in Galveston, Texas, to an offshore oil drilling platform located in the U.S. territorial waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The transport of goods and people between a U.S. mainland port and a U.S. offshore installation falls under the definition of domestic commerce. Therefore, this supply boat must qualify as a Jones Act vessel, adhering to the requirements for U.S. build, ownership, and crew.

• Picture a passenger ferry that provides daily service, carrying tourists and their vehicles, between Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and the mainland port of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Since this vessel is transporting passengers and their property between two points within the United States, it must operate as a Jones Act vessel. This ensures that the ferry was built in the U.S., is owned by U.S. citizens or corporations, and is primarily staffed by American maritime workers.