September 29, 2021 On this episode of What's Going on With Shipping, Sal Mercogliano - Chair of the Department of History, Criminal Justice, and Political Science, former merchant mariner and adjunct professor of Maritime Industry Policy at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy - examines the proposed modification to the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 proposed by Senator Lisa Murkowski to exempt Alaska from its enforcement. Background on the legislation, what the current law says, and why the big cruise cruise lines are the beneficiaries of such a repeal. We also discuss some options that would not merely benefit the cruise lines, but also the United States, including the domestic cruise industry. Senator Murkowski Introduces Bill to Exempt Large Alaska Cruises from the Passenger Vessel Services Act https://gcaptain.com/u-s-senator-introduces-bill-to-exempt-large-alaska-bound-cruises-from-the-passenger-vessel-services-act/ The Passenger Vessel Services Act 1886 (Section 8) https://govtrackus.s3.amazonaws.com/legislink/pdf/stat/24/STATUTE-24-Pg79.pdf Customs and Border Protection September 2019 PVSA Notice https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Sep/PVSA-ICP.pdf Opinion: The Love Boat, American Style! https://gcaptain.com/opinion-the-love-boat-american-style/ New Bill Would Exempt Alaska Cruises From U.S. Cabotage Laws https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/bill-would-permanently-exempt-alaska-cruises-from-u-s-cabotage-laws The Cruise Industry Assistance Washington Should Give: Repeal the Passenger Vessel Services Act https://www.cato.org/blog/cruise-industry-assistance-washington-should-give-repeal-passenger-vessel-services-act Posting Latest Quarterly Loss, Carnival Says Bookings for 2022 Second Half Above Pre-Pandemic Levels https://gcaptain.com/posting-latest-quarterly-loss-carnival-says-bookings-for-2022-second-half-above-pre-pandemic-levels/