HI HCR150

Requests Congress to exempt Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from the Jones Act's U.S.-built requirement for large self-propelled oceangoing ships in noncontiguous domestic trades.

Argues the U.S.-build requirement creates an aging, inefficient fleet (average containership age of 28 years vs. 12-year international average) that disproportionately costs noncontiguous jurisdictions representing less than 2% of U.S. population.

Notes exemption would not affect U.S.-flag, U.S.-ownership, U.S.-crew requirements, tug and barge industries, or any shipping in contiguous U.S. mainland, Great Lakes, or inland waterways.

Cites precedent of existing Guam Exemption and 2003 Hawaii Cruise Trade Exemption allowing foreign-built ships, and notes U.S. shipyards build fewer than three deep-draft merchant ships annually compared to three times higher costs than Japan and South Korea.

Urges President and U.S. administration to support the legislation and directs Hawaii congressional delegation to request the exemption for all three jurisdictions.