The Jones Act and other coastwise trade laws must be carefully considered in any offshore energy project. The Jones Act dictates the types of vessels that may be used in the development, construction, and operation of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) installations. It also may operate to limit noncitizen participation and may impact how transactions are to be structured. These laws embody key policies of the US Congress and raise maritime regulatory issues in the context of offshore operations.

Read on to learn more about these key policies regulating offshore energy operations.