CBP Issues Jones Act Ruling on Inland Dredging (USA)

Customs and Border Protection recently released a ruling regarding the use of a foreign-built, floating amphibious device used for excavation, dredging and aquatic weed cutting and harvesting.

CBP noted that Jones Act and related dredging restrictions against the use of a foreign-built vessel only apply to U.S. navigable waters and that the Jones Act applies to all vessels including those not documented with the Coast Guard because they are too small (except in the case of fishing vessels owned by U.S. citizens or resident aliens.)

CBP determined that the device was a “vessel” under applicable Supreme Court precedents, that harvesting marine vegetation constitutes “fishing” and the lifting of objects on board a vessel by a vessel’s crane constitutes a “lading” for purposes of assessing whether there has been Jones Act proscribed transportation of merchandise.

Ralated Article: Murphy Speaks in Support of Dredging (USA)

U.S. Representative Patrick E. Murphy spoke recently in support of vital funding for important Army Corps of Engineers’ projects across the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast district he represents.

These projects impact the health of the local environment and waterways such as the Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie River, and Lake Okeechobee, among others, and they include ongoing projects such as the C-44 Project and the broader Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike, dredging of local inlets and waterways, and shore restoration projects along Florida 18th district’s coast.