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Congress·In Committee·7 months ago

House Bill Would Open U.S. Coastal Shipping Routes to NATO and Allied Foreign Vessels

Also known as: Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(4)
Union Member
Neutral
Farmer Rancher
Neutral
Housing Assistance
Neutral
Federal Employee
Neutral
Positive Impacts(3)
Immigrant
Helps
Visa Holder
Helps
Green Card
Helps

Key Points

  • Lets the Transportation Department approve some ships tied to U.S. allies to move goods between U.S. ports for up to 5 years at a time, with renewals allowed.
  • Creates a State Department list of “ally” countries; countries on that list (including NATO members by default) can qualify ships, owners, and crews for these permissions.
  • Allows qualifying ships to be owned and/or crewed by people from listed ally countries, and limits enforcement of some U.S. citizenship and credential rules on those ships.
  • If a country is removed from the ally list, ships linked to that country can lose permission quickly (in some cases immediately), and ships built/rebuilt there can be barred during the removal period.
  • Cuts a repair tax in certain cases by exempting some repair costs when U.S.-documented ships are repaired in shipyards located in listed ally countries.
TradeTransportationNational SecurityTaxes

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions
Aug 2, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Aug 1, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Aug 1, 2025

Introduced in House

Aug 1, 2025

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E747)

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law

Transportation Department starts a process to approve allied-country vessels for U.S. coastwise shipping (up to 5 years per approval).

Shipping companies may begin applying, and some U.S. port-to-port routes could see new carriers and price competition.

After the bill becomes law

State Department publishes and maintains the ‘Foreign Ally Shipping Registry’ (including all NATO members unless removed).

Which countries are on the list decides who can qualify for approvals and for the repair-duty exemption.

When authorized vessels begin operating under the new approvals

Coast Guard stops enforcing certain U.S. citizenship and credential rules for crews on authorized qualified vessels from allied countries.

Allied-country nationals could be hired onto these authorized ships more easily, which can change crewing costs and U.S. maritime job competition.

After the bill becomes law

Vessel repair duty exemption expands to repairs done in allied-country shipyards for U.S.-documented vessels.

Some operators may shift repair work overseas because the tax penalty would be reduced or removed for those locations.

Any time a country is removed from the registry in the future

If a listed ally is removed from the registry, approvals tied to that country get revoked quickly (often within 30 days or on the effective removal date).

A ship that was allowed on U.S. routes could suddenly lose permission, disrupting shipping schedules and jobs tied to that service.

Related News

5 articles
FreightWaves·7 months ago

Bill would open US shipping to foreign allies

Legislation introduced by Reps. Ed Case and James Moylan would create a 'Foreign Ally Shipping Registry' and allow ships from allied nations to engage in U.S. coastwise trade. It also proposes waiving the 50% tax on major vessel modifications if performed in allied shipyards like South Korea.

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Korea JoongAng Daily·7 months ago

'MASGA' gets boost with bipartisan U.S. bill to open market to allies

The Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act aims to amend the 1920 Jones Act to allow allied countries, including South Korea, to build and repair U.S. merchant vessels. The bill is seen as a major catalyst for the 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again' (MASGA) cooperation project.

CR+
Maui Now·7 months ago

Case wants US ships repaired by South Korea and Japan, rather than China

U.S. Reps. Ed Case and James Moylan introduced the Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act to encourage maritime companies to work with allies on ship repairs. The bill seeks to close loopholes that currently allow Jones Act carriers to conduct major modifications in Chinese shipyards.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act

Bill NumberHR 4839
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.