H.R. 665: Noncontiguous Shipping Competition Act

This bill revises coastwise laws, commonly known as the Jones Act, that govern domestic transportation of merchandise or passengers by vessels.

The Jones Act generally requires that a vessel transporting merchandise or passengers from one U.S. point to another U.S. point be (1) built in the United States, (2) at least 75% owned by U.S. citizens, and (3) mostly crewed by U.S. citizens. The act also includes several exemptions and exceptions.

The bill exempts carriage on a route in noncontiguous trade from Jones Act requirements unless (1) at least three owners or operators of coastwise qualified vessels regularly operate such a vessel on the route, (2) each of such owners or operators transports at least 20% of the volume of goods on that route, and (3) none of such owners or operators are under common ownership. (Generally, noncontiguous trade is trade between two U.S. points where at least one of the points is in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or an insular territory or U.S. possession.)

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.