The following is the text of a press release issued by the American Maritime Partnership:
(WASHINGTON) — The American Maritime Partnership today released the following statement regarding the American maritime industry working to ensure the delivery of petroleum to regions impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
"Nothing is more important right now than the safety and security of our fellow Americans. The American maritime industry is working around the clock responding to the emergency and ensuring the delivery of petroleum and other needed products to regions affected by Hurricane Sandy.
“To date, we are aware of no instances in which American vessels have not been able to meet transportation needs. Existing law allows for the granting of Jones Act waivers in certain circumstances where American vessels are not available. In such a circumstance, the American maritime industry will not stand in the way of needed Jones Act waivers. That has been our position in previous similar national emergencies, and it is our position today."
American Maritime Partnership ("AMP") is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards, crewed by American mariners, and owned by American companies, ply our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute. So efficient are these vessels that they carry a quarter of the nation‘s cargo for only 2 percent of the national freight bill, and being American owned, built and crewed helps make America more secure.
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