Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Steady decline in Jones Act ships
By Grassroot Institute @ 8:42 PM :: 6939 Views :: Jones Act

Steady decline in Jones Act ships

by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute, Nov 24, 2016

One of the reasons the Jones Act was created was to ensure a vibrant United States shipping industry.

Fast forward to 2016: the American shipping industry has been in a steady decline for decades. In 1947, the total U.S. flag seagoing merchant fleet — America’s commercial shipping industry — was comprised of 3,696 ships. As of 2015, that number has dropped to just 167.

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

A look specifically at Jones Act Trade Ships shows a similar trend:

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Clearly shipbuilding in America has declined significantly in the past century. But why has our merchant marine fleet seen such a steep decline?

One reason is because the cost of building a ship in America is much more expensive than most countries. With more expensive ships comes more expensive shipping prices, and as maritime shipping costs increase, more consumers turn to alternative shipping options, such as air, ground or international competition.

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Source: US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Ironically, the Jones Act has done the opposite of some of it’s original goals. By forcing Americans to use American built ships for domestic cargo shipping, the Jones Act has stifled the U.S. merchant marine fleet, and this has likely weakened our national defense.

Jones Act apologists may invent new reasons for the protectionist law’s preservation. But one of it’s original goals of growing the US shipbuilding industry can no longer be defended.

To examine the data more closely, visit openhawaii.org.

---30---

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT