Not only must the ships be registered in the U.S., under many of these statutes they must be built here as well. I know of no one in the Industry who would not like to see these Cabotage Laws (Jones Act and more) fall by the wayside. Powerful interests oppose this and it will take strong pressure from the traveling public through their congressional representatives to get them changed. This issue has never been on anyone's top burner, except for those who cruise and some who work the ships and the shipping Industry itself.