The Open America's Ports Act would eliminate restrictions on foreign-owned and foreign-built passenger vessels operating between U.S. ports, primarily by repealing the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 and modifying Jones Act requirements for passenger ships. Currently, federal law requires passenger vessels traveling between American ports to be U.S.-owned, U.S.-built, and U.S.-crewed—a rule that significantly limits competition in the cruise and passenger ferry markets. This bill would remove those citizenship and construction ownership requirements specifically for passenger vessels, allowing foreign companies to operate passenger ships on domestic U.S. routes. The changes would not apply to cargo vessels or other maritime requirements, and the bill includes clarifications that other federal maritime laws still apply to these vessels. No specific funding or implementation timeline is mentioned in the legislation.
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