Jones Act waivers can be granted if specialized vessels are needed and there are not enough U.S. flagged vessels to fill the void.
According to Ken Wells of the Offshore marine Service Association (OMSA), companies are "outright cheating" to skirt the Jones Act by pushing "the limits of what is legal."
Over 30 foreign vessels are said to be operating in the Gulf with foreign crews. These crews operate at substantially lower wages than American crews.
According to the Coast Guard, 23 foreign exemptions were issued for the Gulf in 2008 and 15 in 2009.
The OMSA has filed protests with the Coast Guard and Maritime Administration to block waiver requests.
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