A study by Seafarers’ Rights International finds that cabotage laws now exist on 85% of the world’s coastlines, growing rapidly and crucial for national security and economic stability. The number of countries with cabotage laws has increased from 91 in 2018 to 105 in 2025, spreading faster than ever before.
Cabotage laws restrict waterborne transportation within a country to domestic carriers, ensuring critical services remain reliable during crises. The International Transport Workers’ Federation report shows 105 nations enforcing these laws, viewing cabotage as essential for national security and strategic autonomy in an unstable geopolitical environment.
The United States’ Jones Act governs maritime cabotage, ensuring domestic shipping is strengthened by U.S.-built, owned, flagged, and crewed vessels. The act supports 650,000 jobs, contributes $150 billion to the economy annually, and provides strategic sealift capacity for the armed forces, making it crucial for national security and economic stability.
The Jones Act has been affirmed as serving the best interests of the United States by the maritime community. As the global geopolitical order shifts, nations are reinforcing their cabotage frameworks to preserve sovereignty and safeguard critical maritime infrastructure, following the United States’ lead in strong cabotage laws.
The American Maritime Partnership emphasizes the importance of the Jones Act in securing the U.S. maritime border and domestic supply chain, putting America first and preserving control over waterways. With approximately 40,000 vessels in the Jones Act fleet, the U.S. serves as a model for other nations with strong cabotage laws.
The American Maritime Partnership represents the U.S. domestic maritime industry, sustaining nearly 650,000 American jobs, $41.6 billion in labor compensation, and over $154.8 billion in annual economic output. The organization advocates for the importance of maritime cabotage laws for national security, economic stability, and sovereignty.
Read more at GlobeNewswire: ITF-Released Report Shows a Growing Number of Countries Are