The Jones Act was designed to protect the domestic shipping industry. It states that only ships made in the U.S. and flying the country's flags can deliver goods between U.S. ports.
That means that a cargo ship filled with goods from China can only make one stop in the U.S. at a time. It can't stop in Hawaii to exchange goods before heading to Los Angeles.
"It is now known that the Hawaiian cost of living, primarily because of our additional shipping cost and because of the Jones Act, are now 49 percent higher than the U.S. mainland. And this is becoming unbearable. It's difficult for individuals. It's difficult for families. It's difficult for small businesses as well".
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/13/hawaii-alaska-jones-act_n_49612...