Report: U.S. Jones Act fleet ‘strong and vibrant?

Purolator USA launches new Web site    The U.S. Jones Act fleet — ships and barges involved in coastwise transportation — is 'strong and vibrant' with 39,156 vessels, a 59 percent increase during the past 40 years.
   That's one conclusion of a report from the Maritime Cabotage Task Force released during a meeting of the Washington International Propeller Club Tuesday by Jonathan P. Whitworth, senior vice president of Overseas Shipholding Group.
   Observers often focus on the self-propelled, ocean going portion of the U.S. flag fleet, but he said the Jones Act U.S. flag fleet — inland and coastal — is actually 'growing in both size and carrying capacity, particularly among the largest cargo vessels.'
   On average, he said, one vessel has been added to the U.S. fleet every day for the past 40 years.
   The report said there are 8,779 self-propelled vessels in the fleet: 834 dry cargo vessels, 826 passenger vessels, 1,735 offshore support vessels, 89 tankers and 5,295 towboats. In addition there are 26,310 dry cargo barges and 4,067 tank barges.
   Among the ships being added to the Jones Act fleet, Whitworth noted, are 13 Jones Act product tankers that OSG is building at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard and six articulated tug barges the company plans to build.