MarEx Readers Respond To Repeal Of The Jones Act

Senator John McCain wants to repeal the Jones Act and has submitted Senate Bill 352

Dear MarEx:

“My guess this is another "political" move to gain some free press and ride on the coattail of the nonsense the press is writing about in relation to the gulf oil problem. No where in his statement addresses the NEGATIVE impact his bill would be to the entire U.S. Maritime Industry - loss of 1000's of jobs for the U.S. Merchant Marine, shipyards, etc. Not to mention the threat to our national security. This is the most mis-guided missile that could have happened. Thank goodness, in my opinion, this will never get off the ground.

Think about the impact to NASSCO and other yards that have nearly empty order books for New builds. I fear that this ignorant, mis-guided action my McCain will virtually stop or scare off potential investors and/or funding groups that were considering or might have been sources for new buildings/orders.

The Jones Act provides protected trades which provides credit security to any lenders. If this bill gets any legs at all we can all kiss U.S. Flag Marine highways goodbye.

Imagine U.S. Economic growth and new coastal marine alternative Intermodal capacity being dependent on Foreign Flag/Foreign controlled vessels providing coastal marine intermodal highways!!! Some will say - that's what Marine Highways needs - cheap, foreign built, foreign crewed vessels for the Marine Highways to work! What happens when foreign flag vessels under foreign control get pissed off at some U.S. Policy or action and withdraw the vessels suddenly?

How about the U.S. Navy's recently announced plans to look to America's Marine Highways for "reserve" capacity for replacement of the soon to be decommissioned RRF? What does the Navy do now? Depend on foreign controlled vessels for emergency deployments. Someone from USN/TRANSCOM/DOD - please run over to McCains office and point this out.

I could go on and on but clearly McCain and his staff have not looked at the "whole" picture of how this idiotic bill will impact U.S. National Security, the U.S. Merchant Marine, the entire U.S. Flag Maritime industry and future U.S. Transportation capacity and therefore U.S. Economic Growth !!

Often it is said that the U.S. Maritime Industry is to lethargic or is just too fragmented with self-interest to have a strong voice on Capitol Hill. Recently the industry put together the first Congressional Sail-in which succeeded to educate many congressmen about the importance of the maritime industry.

If there ever was a time for a call to arms and show of force - this is it! S.3525 should be withdrawn immediately with McCain's apology for doing something so stupid without knowing all the facts. A very good case of "diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain"! (Yes, I am very ticked off! Stupidity has a way of making me very ticked off).

Our nation is gradually crawling out of an economic crisis. The economy is getting it's legs back. We will very soon be in the position that we predicted 7 years ago:

Economic Growth will out-pace transportation capacity.

Economic Growth and Transportation capacity are equally dependent. Without adequate transportation capacity - Economic growth cannot happen!!! Politician's - Wake up! It's a very simple rule of economics!!

America's Marine Highways are (or was until this ignorant bill was introduced) a viable alternative for NEW transportation capacity.

I can only hope that every funding group sees through this nonsense bill. It will go no where because the - (give me a break on this metaphor) "Sleeping Giant" (U.S. Maritime Industry) will never let this bill get out of the box. “

Mark Yonge,
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Sirs,
I don't care about the definition of a Maverick. I thought Senator McCain understood the vitality of a strong merchant marine as a major leg in our country's defense posture. In the Senator's own words, in his Commencement speech to the USMMA class of 2007, "The Merchant Marine's support for United States military operations in war and peacetime is a valued contribution to the defense of our country,...". Maybe, the Defense Department should displace any private maritime sector involvement in Defense logistics and help the Defense Department further wollow in its exhorbitant budget. Maybe that would more fit in with the Senator's idea of what the Merchant Marine contribution should be.

Do away with the Jones Act, thereby obviating the need for any maritime training institutions (lots of teaching jobs, by the way) and you do away with the manpower base for an increasingly complex and integrated maritime industry. Remember the firestorm of the proposed Dubai Ports investment? There should be the same thing with the consideration of allowing any and all vessels and personnel of any nationality to freely access our ports and carry our goods internally. What's next, foreign pilotage and eventual foreign port control? Homeland Security is meant to define and strengthen our borders. Repeal of the Jones Act could only be a severe degradation of our national security and Defense posture.

Sincerely,
Capt. Scott O'Connor
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Dear Sirs:
Repealing the Jones Act would have an absolutely devastating effect on the US maritime industry, including shipbuilding and shipping. Suddenly, we would find that all of our ships would be built and repaired in overseas shipyards and that all of our coastal shipping would be operated by overseas interests with foreign crews. It would be the virtual end to the US maritime industry!

Wes Starratt PE
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