Short sea shipping in the US?

Professional Mariner Forum
#216

From 26 U.S. Code § 4461: (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/4461)

(a)General rule

There is hereby imposed a [tax] on any [port] use.

(b)Amount of tax

The amount of the [tax] imposed by subsection (a) on any [port] use shall be an amount equal to 0.125 percent of the [value] of the [commercial cargo] involved.

©Liability and time of imposition of tax

(1)Liability The [tax] imposed by subsection (a) shall be paid by—

(A) in the case of cargo entering the [United States], the importer, or

(B) in any other case, the shipper.

(2) Time of imposition

Except as provided by regulations, the [tax] imposed by subsection (a) shall be imposed at the time of unloading.

It seems to apply to both imports and domestic cargo (exports are excluded). Is there some other law that exempts domestic port to domestic port cargo?

#217

IMO has issued a concept of a Sustainable Maritime Transportation System that does not only address domestic shipping but the entire Maritime Industry of a country:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/national-maritime-transport-policy-a-closer-look/
Some of these ideas and advise may apply to the US as well. (??)

#218

But I like my smooth chest. . . . .

1 Like
#219

https://youtu.be/FDJI5eVdwgU

#220

I stand corrected. Good call out

#221

Honestly, I was hoping there was some other law that provided an exception that I was unaware of.

I wouldn’t mind the HMT so much if it was actually being used in full force for the maintenance (or improvement) of harbors as its name implies. Many of the articles I read on it say that it’s not being used for that.

#222

Seriously Ombugge? You are still beating this dead horse since like early 2017?

I renewed my log in just to ask.

Ain’t nothing changed in the US to facilitate or encourage short sea sector so give it up. Maybe after Trump exits the scene, but I doubt it.

1 Like
#223

In the middle of a long string of posts about US short sea shipping I posted an IMO video about National Maritime Transport Policy:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/national-maritime-transport-policy-a-closer-look/
with the suggestion that some of it may apply to US as well. (Questionmark)

What sinister intentions did you manage to read into that may I ask?

#224

That’s the point …. a long string (since like 2016) about short sea shipping in the US. We have explained most every logistical, cost and technical factor associated with the topic, reviewed the past, future and policies affecting it. What else is there to talk about? It ain’t sinister, it is just like …. seriously. Give it up (at least for the US).

Although as a former mariner, I am strongly in favour of such a thing, it ain’t gonna happen in our lifetimes. Let’s talk about something really sinister, like The War on Christmas.

1 Like
#225

That is the wrong attitude. Just because something is hard, difficult to get done, or have never been done before, doesn’t mean you should give up. (Just ask JFK)
If everybody had that attitude we would still be dragging things along the ground and the Irish would never have invented the wheel.
Thanks heaven there are people around the world that don’t listen to the naysayers that find it is easier and more comfortable to just let things be as before, rather than try something new.

It’s not as if Short Sea Shipping is anything new and doesn’t exist in most of the world, but it is a question of changing the thinking and understanding of it by people the US.

PS> This thread had been inactive for 10 months before it was brought up again a few days ago.

#226

It is because short sea does not beat the delivery times or costs of rail or road in the USA, or combinations of those factors. It ain’t changing anytime soon because of hard baked into the cake policies that keep fuel cheap and road use in the USA free or very low cost compared to EU (where I generally live). As it is, this is the way it is in USA

If you can slap a container on a double stack car in Norfolk or Savannah and have it in the yard at Chicago in 36 hrs, you ain’t gonna fool around with shuffling it on a boat. Or a container of TV’s loaded on a train in LA / Long Beach and arriving at a Walmart in Lexington, Kentucky +/- 15 minutes of a known pre-agreed time …. You ain’t gonna mess with a ship, a barge and a bunch of kerfuffle.

But those factors we reviewed in depth like back in January 2017… so yeah, give up. It is like talking about trying to breathe underwater when we have lungs and not gills. No future in it.

#227

Not everything is about money and efficiency and not everything need to be delivered immediately.

Since you live in an EU country you should know that the renewed interest in Short Sea Shipping is about emission of both particles, SOX, NOX and greenhouse gasses. not just that it is cheaper, safer and cause less road congestion on already crowded highway and streets.

#228

America runs on grease and the color of grease is GREEN. That is, Green like the Dollar Bill.

No one in the USA with the power to change anything is giving a hoot about SOx NOx or any of that silly environmental socialist trollup coming out of the EU.

At least not until Washington, DC or maybe the Hamptons, sinks below the rising seas.

Short Sea ain’t cheaper or faster in the US market, and will not be for the foreseeable future. Game Over.

2 Likes
#229

I’m afraid I have to agree with you there. Any long term planning is not likely when everything rotate around a 2-year election cycle and quarterly earnings.

Meanwhile I’ll be investigating the possibilities that arises from the steadily warming of the climate in Norway. At least 2 m. above present HWS level of course. I’ll stick to things Maritime though.
Vineyards have already been established along a fjord near here and bananas is too cheap from Iceland already.

#230

I really hope you aren’t serious.

#231

Oh absolutely.

This radical plot to undermine the heritage of our country being foisted upon the upstanding citizenry by unelected pointy-headed elitists is among the most vital threats to the rule of law and decency in Amur’ca.

At least I was told this on the Internet, so I know it is true.

3 Likes
#232

The first company that comes to mind that does work similar to this is Coastal Transportation in Seattle. http://www.coastaltransportation.com/ from what I read about them they have their own facility in seattle and they have their own facility somewhere up in Alaska. Seems like all of their cargo is palletized, and they bring goods up to alaska and bring fish back down to seattle.

#233

And a number of tug companies have cargo runs the as well. There’s no way into Western Alaska other than by boat so that isn’t really on topic for this thread.

#234

An ideal vessel type for the West Alaska trade??:
https://norlines.no/content/documents/Skip/Kvitnos.pdf

Here is a short video of her handling cargo in Tromsø:


She is trading from R’dam to the West coast and Northern Norway.

Her sistership, the Kvitbjørn in Cuxhaven, Germany:

#235

The high cost of handling cargo in US ports has been mentioned as a reason Short Sea Shipping is not feasible in the US.That the Longshoremen’s Union is resisting all attempts to modernise ports has also been and issue of contention.

This may not directly involve SSS, but it does say something about the conflict there is between efficient ports and the unions: