The Transportation Institute (TI), representing U.S.-flag American shipping companies, announced the results of a new economic analysis prepared by PwC US Tax LLP examining the potential effects of a long-term waiver of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act.
The Jones Act requires that vessels moving cargo between U.S. ports be American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed, sustaining a domestic maritime industry vital to both commerce and national defense. As PwC’s analysis shows, a long-term waiver of these requirements would carry serious consequences for the U.S. tax base, American jobs, and the nation’s industrial capacity.
The report finds that under a sustained waiver scenario, the U.S. economy could see significant exposure across four key areas:
- Up to $1.8 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue at risk annually
- Up to 133,700 total U.S. jobs exposed, representing up to $12.2 billion in annual labor income
- Up to $26.5 billion in domestic shipbuilding demand at risk over ten years
- Up to $2.6 billion in annual maritime capital investment at risk
“Behind every number in this report is an American worker, a family, and a community that depends on a strong U.S. maritime industry,” said Sara Fuentes, President of the Transportation Institute. “Every extension of the waiver has sent uncertainty and anxiety among Americans who build ships, move cargo, and keep our supply chains running. We hope PwC’s estimates provide the Trump Administration and Congress with a better picture of how another extension of this Jones Act waiver would weaken America, not strengthen it.”
The study, which draws on public data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and U.S. Maritime Administration, also notes that a long-term waiver could carry implications for national security and military sealift readiness, given the role commercial mariners, U.S.-flag vessels, and shipyards play in supporting defense logistics.