From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country. Originally starting with shipping, cabotage now also covers aviation, railways and road transport. Cabotage is "trade or navigation in coastal waters, or, the exclusive right of a country to operate the air traffic within its territory."^[1]

Cabotage is commonly used as part of the term "cabotage rights", the right of a company from one country to trade in another country. In aviation terms, it is the right to operate within the domestic borders of another country. Most countries do not permit cabotage by foreigners, although this is changing within Europe for member states of the European Union.^[2] Politically, cabotage regulations restricting trade to domestic carriers are a form of protectionism. Justifications for cabotage regulations include national security and the need to regulate public safety.

Contents 1 Examples 2 Cabotage Trade 3 References 4 See also 5 External links

If British Airways has a flight from London Heathrow that stops at New York JFK and continues on to Chicago O'Hare, it would not allow passengers to board in New York and fly to Chicago if that violated US cabotage regulations. Only passengers who boarded in London could be carried on to Chicago.

As another example, a passenger would not be able to buy a ticket on Air Canada for a flight from Boston to Toronto, connecting in Toronto to another flight to Seattle. Even though each of the legs would be legal by itself, together, they essentially offer domestic service in the US, which is not allowed to foreign carriers.

Cabotage trade is a political term describing the "coastwise trade of a nation to vessels flying its national flag". Usually, industrial countries have special laws pertaining to trade and travel of goods and persons in its own waters when the ship carrying them is registered domestically. These laws, commonly called "cabotage laws (acts)", give concessions to local vessels by restricting port and waterway usage by vessels with foreign registrations "to promote the development of indigenous tonnage..."^[3]

Initially, laws like these will protect domestic businesses by giving them an advantage over exportation. Later, this will increase the country's income via taxes and fees collected from foreign businesses. The country will receive more income, when foreign businesses decide to register their vessels domestically.

To circumvent such laws and taxes, global businesses register their vessels with small island nations, which have less transport restrictions and are taxed at a lower rate than their home nation.

Each country has its own laws and regulations regarding cabotage trade.

1. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
2. ^ "European transport policy for 2010 : time to decide" EU Commission White paper
3. ^ Nigerian Bar Association, August 2004 "Practical Implementation of the Cabotage Law". Retrieved June 14, 2006.

• Jones Act
• Freedoms of the air
• Passenger Services Act
• Open skies
• Protectionism

• US Cabotage lobbying organisation
• European Union Commission page on Rail Cabotage
• "European transport policy for 2010 : time to decide" European Union Commission White paper