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US temporarily waives Jones Act shipping rules

  • Mercados: Coal, Crude oil, Fertilizers, Natural gas, Oil products
  • 18/03/26

President Donald Trump has approved a 60-day waiver of domestic shipping requirements under the Jones Act of 1920 in an attempt to ease a spike in commodity prices caused by the war in Iran.

The temporary waiver will allow shippers to transport crude, natural gas, natural gas liquids, fertilizer, coal and other energy-related products without having to comply with the Jones Act, a law that requires shipments between US ports to take place on vessels that are US-built, US-crewed and US-flagged. The waiver is meant to mitigate "short-term disruptions" to oil markets caused by the war in Iran, according to the White House.

"This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to US ports for 60 days, and the administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains," the White House said.

US Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking further details on the waiver.

Trump's intervention into the cabotage requirements comes as domestic prices for fuel and fertilizer have spiked in response to attacks on shipping in the strait of Hormuz. US regular grade gasoline prices were $3.72/USG in the week ended on 16 March, up from $2.94/USG before Trump authorized military strikes on Iran.

The Jones Act waiver could make it easier for traders to transport the up to 172mn bl of crude the administration plans to draw down from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), starting as early as this week. The waiver will allow that crude to be shipped to other US ports without having to be loaded on a small fleet of Jones Act compliant tankers that are typically more costly to charter. The US Department of Energy finished accepting bids on Tuesday night on an initial solicitation that offered to release half of the crude.

The waiver will likely have limited effect on US natural gas flows as the winter heating season winds down, especially with shipping and supply disruptions from the US-Israel war on Iran creating much stronger margins for exporters of US LNG.


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