"The International Trade commission estimates that repealing the Jones Act would reduce current shipping prices by approximately twenty six percent."5 Although this may seem like a lot, compared to the "the net estimated loss to the Hawaiian economy from abolition of the Jones act would be 257 million in output."6 The small personal bourdon cannot be compared to the overall benefits to the economy created by the jobs, tax revenue, environmental protection, and economic stimulation provided by the Jones Act.
Another topic that has been touched upon is that the Jones Act is creating a stagnant shipping industry. "Each year the Jones Act fleet transports about 1.1 billion tons of cargo worth approximately 222 billion and generates and additional 3 billion in tourism and support of the oil and gas marine industries."7 With these numbers growing each year it is hard to see how the Jones Act is slowing down the shipping industry. Also "there are more than 44,000 vessels in the Jones Act fleet-8 all of which provide jobs and tax revenue. "In fact, the Jones Act pumps some 15 billion into the U.S. economy annually, including at least 1.4 billion a year in tax revenues to the Federal and State Governments."9 With such a large and diverse impact it is clear that the Jones Act is the catalyst in an ever growing U.S. shipping industry.
The Jones Act fleet is truly special due to the fact that it is not subsidized by the U.S. Government. This allows a true economic market to exist. An example of this is that "North Carolina poultry and pork farmers have been unable to find Jones Act vessels to ship grain from the Midwest. As a result, some North Carolina farmers are importing foreign grain on foreign-flagged and owned ships."10 This is due to many reasons but the main one is that it is not economical to ship grain from the Midwest to North Carolina. This allows a true market economy to evolve. Without the Jones Act the U.