THE GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
| Issue | Jones Act Market | International Market |
| Vessel ownership | US Ownership | Any (large shipping companies) |
| Vessel registration | USA | Any (flags of convenience) |
| Shipyard | US Located | Any (mainly Asia) |
| Vessel crew | US citizens | Any (developing countries) |
| Vessel type | Mostly coastal and river | Mostly deepsea |
| Vessel trading privilege | Cabotage within USA | International shipments |
| Legal jurisdiction | US Federal Court | Country of registration |
| Taxation | US corporate taxation system | Mostly offshore |
| Barriers to entry | Very high | Low |
| Competition | Statutory protection against foreign players | Intensive / Oligopolistic |
Source: adapted from B.M. Karatzas (2009) "A Primer on Leasing Transactions in the International Maritime Sector", Journal of Equipment Lease Financing, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 1-8.