By Meghan Lapp - The Jones Act, or Merchant Marine Act of 1920, has been the foundation of U.S. maritime commerce for 100 years, requiring coastwise trade, i.e. transport of merchandise between two U.S. points, to be conducted on U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned, U.S.-built vessels, which must be crewed by a minimum of 75% U.S. citizens and/or permanent U.S. residents. It is … [Read more...]
Philly Shipyard Begins Work on First Government Contract
U.S. shipbuilder Philly Shipyard has started work on its first government contract, kicking off short-term repair work on the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration vessel SS Antares. The The SS Antares is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship owned by MARAD and managed by TOTE Services, LLC. The ship is in the yard to undergo routine repair and maintenance … [Read more...]
Shipbuilding and Repair Work Dries Up at Philly Shipyard
All shipbuilding and repair work has completely dried up at Philly Shipyard following the delivery of the second of two container ships for Matson back in March as the shipbuilder eagerly tries to secure more orders from commercial and government customers. Philly Shipyard, the leading Jones Act shipbuilder on the U.S. east coast, reported this week that its operating … [Read more...]
Business of Shipping: Smooth Sailing Ahead for Jones Act Operators
By Ira Breskin (Business of Shipping) - It should be smooth sailing for the foreseeable future for operators of large Jones Act vessels, speakers said last week at the 32nd annual Marine Money Conference in New York. The placid market forecast assumes that the supply-demand balance will remain largely intact. That’s because there is a paucity of new tonnage---either being … [Read more...]
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Jones Act Seaman’s Bid for Punitive Damages in Personal Injury Suit
The U.S. Supreme Court has resolved split circuit court decision sin the personal injury case of Dutra Group v. Batterton, ruling that an injured Jones Act seaman cannot recover punitive damages on a common-law maritime claim of unseaworthiness. In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court rejected deckhand Christopher Batterton's bid to lodge a claim for punitive damages in a lawsuit … [Read more...]