New US President Joe Biden's recent sign of support for the Jones Act is earning rave reviews from the domestic shipping industry.

Signed on Monday, Biden's executive order explicitly states that his administration will prioritise buying US-made goods and services, including requiring transport on US-flagged ships.

"Speaking for the 2,000 essential workers at Matson, who have worked through uncertainty and the daily realities of a pandemic ... hearing this support from the White House means a lot," Matson chief executive Matt Cox said.

"Matson is a proud US carrier with a long history of service to our country. We take our role seriously and appreciate knowing that we have the support of the White House."

Cox was one of 19 executives, labour leaders and industry group heads to applaud the move.

The Jones Act is the century-old law requiring ships transporting goods between two US ports be US-owned, crewed by Americans, built by a domestic shipyard and registered under the US flag.

The executive order — titled Executive Order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers — only mentions the Jones Act once.

It primarily discusses the Made in America Office in the Office of Management and Budget with the goal of centralising the made in US waiver process.

In the run up to the 2020 election, Biden pitched himself as a "strong advocate" of the Jones Act and promised to support it in one of the only public references to the cabotage law made during the campaigns.

"We enthusiastically applaud this decision by President Biden to reaffirm his support for the Jones Act as a component of his administration's commitment to strong buy America policies," said Captain Don Marcus, head of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots.

"His expression of support sends a clear message that the domestic maritime industry and the thousands of union men and women who build and operate these vessels are critical to the economic and military security of our nation."

Shipbuilders Council of America president Matthew Paxton said the executive order "will prioritise American innovation, ingenuity and craftsmanship".

"Essential national and domestic security industries like the US shipyard sector, and the maritime defence industrial base, will grow stronger because of the actions taken today, ensuring the future of America is made in America," Paxton said.