U.S. Maritime Administration to Extend Alaskan Jones Act Waiver

Congress enacted an exemption to the Jones Act, which restricts U.S. domestic trade to qualified U.S.-flag vessels, in 2006 to permit a limited number of foreign-built anchor handling vessels to operate in Alaskan waters in the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea. That exemption was extended in 2010, potentially until 2017. Under the terms of the exemption, foreign-built vessels may only be used if, among other things, no suitable qualified U.S.-flag anchor handling vessel is available. On December 22, 2011, MARAD issued a public notice requesting proposals by January 23, 2012 to provide a qualified U.S.-flag vessel in lieu of MARAD granting permission for a foreign-built vessel to operate in Alaskan waters.