American Maritime for Puerto Rico Recovery
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Sunday, November 19, 2017
The American Maritime Partnership – the voice of the domestic maritime industry – today issued the following statement to set the record straight on the importance of American maritime for Puerto Rico recovery and the capacity and capability of Jones Act vessels to meet Puerto Rico’s present and future needs.
“While the American Maritime industry was delivering cargo to the docks of Puerto Rico with relief supplies within hours of the hurricane passing, familiar opponents worked to fan debunked myths about our industry and the Jones Act," The American Maritime Partnership said in a press release.
"The fact remains the Jones Act does not add costs to Puerto Rico; it provides stability, jobs and reliable transportation of relief and recovery items to our families and neighbors in Puerto Rico. We support those who march for the well being of Puerto Rico, as we have been working for the same cause since the storm, but we need to march for what will help not hurt the island. First understand the facts before the march,” it said.
Jones Act carriers have provided regular, dedicated service to Puerto Rico for decades. The Jones Act fleet servicing Puerto Rico includes modern, state-of-the-art vessels, such as the world’s first LNG-powered containership, as part of domestic operators’ recent investments in the trade totaling nearly $1 billion.
Puerto Rico also benefits from reduced backhaul rates from Puerto Rico to the mainland and specialized 53’ containers which provide extra capacity over standard 40’ containers. As part of these investments, Jones Act carriers support thousands of jobs in Puerto Rico.
The domestic maritime industry is committed to meeting the needs of the island while also supporting the long-term economic requirements of the people and communities of Puerto Rico.