U.S. Maritime Laws Ensure a Level Playing Field for American Businesses
Letters

American domestic maritime laws ensure a level playing field by requiring all shipping and shipbuilding companies that operate in U.S. domestic commerce play by the same set of rules.  Allowing foreign companies to operate in the U.S.—outside of our immigration, employment, safety, environmental, tax, labor, and others laws—would be unfair. American laws are often stricter than the laws that govern shipping and shipbuilding in international trades.

  • No other industry yet operates exclusively in American domestic commerce outside of our laws (e.g., paying third world wages to its employees).
  • No country in the world permits businesses to operate domestically without complying with its own national and local laws.
  • Companies that do business in the U.S. must fully comply with all applicable American laws, regulations and other rules.