Old Ships Still Abundant in the Jones Act Fleet

Colin GrabowFour years ago today the United States suffered a horrible maritime tragedy with the sinking  of the Jones Act-qualified containershipEl Faro. Caught in the midst  of Hurricane Joaquin during its voyage from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the ship was lost with all hands. Although investigations performed by theCoast Guard andNational Transportation Safety Board largely assigned blame for the disaster to the ship ’s captain for his failure to divert away from the storm, theEl Faro’s advanced age also garneredconsiderable attention. Built in 1975, the ship was 40 years old when it slipped  beneath the heaving waves.For an oceangoing ship that is ancient. A ship's useful life is commonly estimated to be anywhere from 20 to 30 years, and some observers place that figure even lower. U.S. Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby has  testified before Congress that “in the commercial world it’s rare to see a ship beyond about 15 or 20 years.”But ships long past their normal useful lifespan remain  abundant within the Jones Act fleet. Just last weektheLihue, the world ’s second-oldest containership at 48 years of age, was placedback in service by carrier Matson after being laid up for 11 months. And that ’s not even the oldest Jones Act ship. TheChemical Pioneer, a vesselpartially made from the charred hulk of a wrecked containership, was built in 1968. A general cargo ship, theCoastal Trader, was built in 1963.The evidence goes beyond an...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs