Trump extends Jones Act waiver for 90 days

President Trump on Monday extended a narrowed waiver of the Jones Act for 90 days, officials said, allowing foreign-flagged vessels to move oil and other commodities between U.S. ports under tighter conditions.

Officials described the step as a response to disruptions in crude flows linked to the war in Iran, which they said had pushed up fuel costs and created delivery strains for some U.S. refineries.

Waiver keeps foreign tonnage available, but with tighter limits Officials said the renewed waiver is more restrictive than earlier exemptions, narrowing which foreign-flagged ships can participate. Traders were still assessing the practical impact of the revised terms for deliveries into U.S. ports, with market reaction not yet clear, officials said.

The Jones Act generally prevents foreign-flagged vessels from carrying cargo between U.S. ports. Officials said the waiver temporarily relaxes that ban only under specific conditions, designed to cover shortfalls while limiting the range of voyages that qualify.

Officials cite refinery deliveries and wholesale fuel pressure

Officials said the administration’s intent is to speed up deliveries of crude and refined products to ports facing disruptions. They said that by permitting additional foreign shipping capacity within a narrower eligibility framework, the waiver is meant to reduce delivery times and ease pressure in wholesale fuel markets.

At the same time, officials emphasized that the measure is temporary and does not change domestic cabotage rules on a permanent basis. The decision, they said, is framed as a limited adjustment to address immediate logistics constraints.

90-day timeline and next decision point

Officials said the waiver will run for 90 days and is set to expire on Nov. 8, 2026. They added that the administration plans to reassess whether additional action is needed before that date.

For shippers and refiners, the immediate question will be how the tighter eligibility standards shape which cargoes can move and on which routes, even as the waiver continues to open access to foreign-flagged capacity in a constrained way, officials said.