US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is looking to clear up any ambiguity between vessel equipment and merchandise as it pertains to the Jones Act.
The federal agency has issued a decision in which it changed an "overbroad" definition of equipment within the legislation that included items used for crew comfort instead of running the ship.
Enacted in 1920, the Jones Act only allows US-manned, US-owned ships to carry merchandise between two US ports but permits foreign-flag vessels to move ship equipment.
