A Chinese-owned tanker carrying asphalt from Louisiana to Connecticut recently completed a voyage under the national security exemption of the Jones Act.
The American Maritime Partnership has highlighted the arrival of the Chinese-flagged JIN ZHOU WAN, operated by COSCO Shipping Asphalt Hainan, which departed New Orleans on May 21 and arrived in New Haven on May 28.
This shipment comes amid growing criticism of the Trump administration's 150-day Jones Act waiver, which was initially enacted in March following the Strait of Hormuz crisis and later extended through mid-August.
The waiver allows certain foreign-flagged vessels to transport cargo between US ports that would normally be restricted to US-built, US-owned, US-flagged, and US-crewed vessels under the Jones Act.
International shipping databases show that JIN ZHOU WAN is a 13,265-deadweight-ton asphalt/bitumen tanker built in 2017 and registered under the Chinese flag.
The vessel is owned, managed, and operated by COSCO Shipping Asphalt Hainan, a subsidiary of state-owned China COSCO Shipping Corporation.
AMP has made opposition to the waiver a centerpiece of a new national advertising campaign launched this week, arguing it costs American mariners jobs while delivering minimal economic benefits.
The group argues that waiving the Jones Act is not an effective way to lower gas prices, as prices have not gone down with the waiver.
This shipment raises concerns about China's growing influence in US shipping and the implications for national security.
The Jones Act waiver has significant implications for the US maritime industry, as it allows foreign-flagged vessels to transport cargo between US ports.
