Jones act waiver

[Algosteel II]

Thanks to Mr. Link for the information, and to guest for the posts of 'The Scanner'. An enjoyable piece of history, especially since I shipkept in Toronto in 2016.

[Guest]

So it appears to have delivered a load of dolomitic limestone from Port Dolomite to a Canadian port, then picked up a load of trap rock in Bruce Mines for delivery to a US port.

Ah, makes sense. Thanks!

[Mr Link]

I see the Ontario Venture is in Detroit on the Rouge, and it came from Port Dolomite. Would this be under a Jones Act waiver?

Boatnerd's automated vessel passage page shows that it left Port Dolomite around 3:11 am on Saturday, May 16th, and was downbound at Marine City 10:30 pm on the same day (Saturday) showing a destination of Sombra.

Next noted upbound at Marine City at 7:04 am on Sunday, May 17th showing a destination of Bruce Mines.

Then inbound on the River Rouge 7:07 pm on Tuesday, May 19th.

So it appears to have delivered a load of dolomitic limestone from Port Dolomite to a Canadian port, then picked up a load of trap rock in Bruce Mines for delivery to a US port.

[Guest]

I see the Ontario Venture is in Detroit on the Rouge, and it came from Port Dolomite. Would this be under a Jones Act waiver?

[William Lafferty]

On 12 December 1941 Roosevelt issued Executive Order EO 8976, "Authorizing the Secretary of Commerce To Waive Compliance With the Navigation and Vessel Inspection Laws for War Purposes," which also put the Jone Act in abeyance for the duration. During the war this allowed Canadian lake vessels to haul ore or coal from and to American ports and American vessels to haul grain from and to Canadian ports, allowing much greater scheduling flexibility during the war emergency. The same occurred in 1950 under Truman during the Korean "police action."

[Syd bc]

I was on those trips on the Atlantic Superior The transfer loads were done at anchor off of Port Hawkesbury Nova Scotia
There was talk of doing the transfers in the Bahamas As far as I know none of the Norfolk coal ever went to Sept Isle
The Sept Isle transfers were done with coal that came from the lakes
We also did transfer with coal from Sydney NS to Port Hawkesbury

[Guest]

In December 1984, Groupe Desgagnes Inc., chartered the J. L. Mauthe to make an early trip the following Spring from Thunder Bay to Toronto as no Canadian ships were available so early in the season of the size required for Canada Malting Ltd. J. L. Mauthe was partially loaded with grain in Thunder Bay, wintered at that port, then in early April 1985 finished loading the remainder of the grain cargo and arrived at Toronto on April 8, 1985. The trip by the J.L. Mauthe between two Canadian ports required the approval of the federal government in Ottawa.

February 1985 issue of the Scanner: https://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatla ... .asp?ID=c3

April 1985 issue of the Scanner: https://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatla ... asp?ID=c11

I do recall back in the late 1980s that Canada Steamship Lines filed a request for approval from the US government for their self-unloaders to load at Norfolk, VA and then top-off coal vessels that had loaded at that port within American waters. Due to the Jones Act, the request was denied, and Canadian Steamship Line self-unloaders instead topped-off coal vessels at Sept Isles, PQ.

[Guest]

I'm curious also. I would expect it would be tanker traffic, if anything.

[Syd bc]

With the Jones act waiver have any foreign or Canadian ships done any loads between American ports on the Great Lakes