Shipping to Puerto Rico: A Plain-English Guide to the Jones Act

Importers shipping to Puerto Rico for the first time are often surprised to learn their cargo can’t sail directly from China to San Juan on the same vessel. The reason is a nearly century-old federal law most people have never heard of.

What the Jones Act Requires

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — commonly called the Jones Act — requires that goods moved between two US points, including the mainland and Puerto Rico, travel on ships that are US-built, US-flagged, and US-crewed. A foreign-flagged vessel arriving from China doesn’t qualify for that final leg.

How Routing Actually Works

In practice, your cargo sails from China to a US mainland gateway port, then transships onto a Jones Act–compliant carrier for the leg to San Juan. This adds a transshipment step to the routing, but it’s handled automatically as part of a normal quote — you don’t need to arrange it separately.

What This Means for Your Timeline

Transshipment typically adds several days to overall transit compared to a mainland-only shipment. Building this into your planning calendar up front avoids scrambling closer to a launch or restock date.

The Bottom Line

The Jones Act isn’t a surprise fee or a forwarder markup — it’s a fixed part of how any ocean cargo legally reaches Puerto Rico. A forwarder that specializes in the lane will already have this routing and the associated excise and local tax handling built into your quote.