Researcher finds missing foreign vessel voyages in MARAD records

Colin Grabow, a research fellow at the Cato Institute, analyzed vessel-tracking records and data from the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. His analysis identified at least 14 tanker voyages that loaded cargo at one U.S. port and discharged it at another without appearing in the Maritime Administration’s public tally. These voyages included shipments to California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and other locations.

The finding suggests that the number of foreign-vessel voyages missing from federal Jones Act waiver records may be larger than previously known. The evidence was built largely around vessel draft changes and port calls, and the 14 tankers had a combined cargo capacity of roughly 5.2 million barrels, which represents an upper limit.