News and publications NewsTemporary Waiver of the Jones ActPublished: 1 April 2026NewsPortsUSAIn response to rising energy prices and disruptions caused by the conflict with Iran, the U.S. government has granted a temporary waiver of the cabotage restrictions under the Jones Act. This waiver is temporary, valid for a period of 60 days, expiring on May 17, 2026 and applies to a defined list of products, primarily energy and fertilizer products. What is the Jones Act and Why is the Waiver Important? The Jones Act regulates U.S. cabotage trade and stipulates that goods between U.S. ports may only be transported by American vessels. The law aims to protect the American shipping sector, though rare exceptions can be made, as in the current case. Under this temporary waiver, non-U.S. vessels are allowed to transport certain products – such as oil, natural gas, fertilizers, and coal – between U.S. ports. Scope of the Waiver The waiver will last a total of 60 days and will only apply to a list of “potentially covered products.” This list is available in the CBP notice and includes over 600 products, primarily energy and fertilizer items. The products are identified by their classification in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). CBP has indicated that compliance with the waiver will be enforced through standard import and documentation procedures. Shipowners intending to transport these products on foreign-flagged vessels must report this to CBP and comply with specific reporting requirements to the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). While this temporary waiver provides flexibility for the shipping sector, questions remain about how effective this measure will be. Important Considerations for Members/Insured Parties For shipowners, the temporary waiver offers the opportunity to serve the U.S. market with foreign-flagged vessels. However, this also introduces potential legal and financial risks. Non-compliance with the cabotage restrictions could lead to heavy fines for b