Shipping: Exemption of certain noncontiguous trade from the coastwise laws

Section 55101(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking or after the semicolon; (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting; or; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (4) carriage on a route in noncontiguous trade (as that term is defined in section 53501), unless— (A) at least three owners or operators of coastwise qualified vessels (as that term is defined in section 55108(a)) regularly operate such a vessel on such route; (B) each of such owners or operators transports at least 20 percent of the volume of goods on that route; and (C) none of such owners or operators are under common ownership..