An informal survey by Puerto Rico’s Chamber of Food Marketing, Industry and Distribution of 15 of its members found that there are roughly 1,400 containers of their provisions sitting in U.S. ports, waiting to be shipped to Puerto Rico, according to a commentary in today’s Wall Street Journal. The group attributes the delay to the Jones Act, which mandates that U.S.-flagged, -built and -manned carriers conduct all shipping between U.S. ports. This means an oligopoly of three companies—Crowley Maritime Corp., TOTE Maritime and Trailer Bridge Inc.—conduct the vast majority of the protected trade between the mainland and the island, at inflated costs on aging ships. The ocean-going Jones Act fleet numbers a mere 99 vessels, compared to thousands available from foreign-flagged carriers, according to the commentary. President Trump did give Puerto Rico legislative relief of the Jones Act for 10 days following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Eduardo Marxuach, president of Supermercados Econo, says it’s “impossible” to book a foreign carrier in such a short time frame. GOP Senator John McCain introduced legislation earlier this year to repeal the Jones Act, while other legislators are pushing to exempt Puerto Rico from the protectionist law, either permanently or for a few years. But without Congressional leadership and White House support, these measures won’t go far, according to the commentary.
