“Because of the century-old Jones Act, U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico must use overpriced, outdated ships to import American LNG—while the Dominican Republic enjoys cheaper energy from the same source.”
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“Over 100 years ago, Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act, requiring all goods transported between U.S. ports to be carried on ships that are built in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, crewed by Americans, and flagged under the United States. While support for the Jones Act was built on maintaining a strong U.S. maritime industry and protecting national security, it has failed to live up to these promises.
Due to absurdly strict requirements, the Jones Act increases the cost of shipping and ship manufacturing by limiting competition in domestic markets and even inspiring collusion. These inflated costs have historically made it impossible for Puerto Rico to import LNG from the United States. Unlike the mainland, Puerto Rico can’t import LNG via trucking or rail and must instead import LNG using Jones Act carriers (which, until recently, didn’t exist).”
https://reason.com/2025/04/05/puerto-rico-pays-more-for-american-energy-than-its-neighbor