Is the Jones Act Waiver Working and is it Necessary? | What Does the US Need to Do in the Future?

In this episode of "What’s Going on With Shipping?", we tackle one of the most debated pieces of maritime legislation: the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act. As fuel prices fluctuate and geopolitical tensions rise, the call for Jones Act waivers has become a recurring theme in Washington. But is waiving the act a temporary "band-aid" or a sign of a deeper systemic issue? We examine whether these waivers are actually achieving their intended goals and, what the United States needs to do to ensure they have sufficient tankers to move and distribute oil and fuel throughout the country. Contact What's Going on With Shipping via: Patreon: www.patreon.com/wgowshipping Twitter: @mercoglianos Bluesky: @mercoglianos.bsky.social Facebook: @wgowshipping Email: [email protected] 00:00 - Introduction: Trump Administration's Jones Act Waiver Extension 01:23 - What is the Jones Act? (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) 02:14 - Legal Basis for Waivers (46 US Code 501) 03:10 - The Four Criteria for Jones Act Compliance 04:53 - Industry Reactions and Impact on Fuel Prices 05:51 - Analyzing the US Tanker Fleet Data 07:52 - Regional Operations: West Coast vs. Gulf Coast 09:34 - Special Exemptions and International Shuttles 10:21 - Challenges in US Ship Repair and Infrastructure 12:03 - International Trade and Tanker Security Program 14:11 - The Mechanism and Guidance for Requesting Waivers 15:47 - Congressional Testimony and Rebuilding the Merchant Marine 17:02 - Unanswered Questions: Foreign Crews and Labor Laws 17:57 - Studies on Waiver Effectiveness and Fuel Shortages 19:34 - Political Background and Jet Fuel Claims 21:48 - Fact-Checking Movement Data: 8 million Barrels? 24:41 - Detailed Review of Issued Waivers (April 30th Report) 25:53 - Case Study: Motor Vessel Cabo Deseado 28:18 - Case Study: Movement of Ethanol (Pheasant) 31:51 - Future Solutions: Vessel Replacement and Build-and-Charter 34:31 - Innovation: Propulsion and Nuclear Power in Shipping 36:09 - Conclusion and How to Support the Channel Marine Traffic www.marinetraffic.com White House Extends Jones Act Shipping Waiver to August https://gcaptain.com/white-house-exte... 46 U.S. Code § 55102 - Transportation of merchandise https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/te... 46 U.S. Code § 501 - Waiver of navigation and vessel-inspection laws https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/te... US Considers Easing Jones Act to Tame Spiraling Fuel Prices https://gcaptain.com/us-to-ease-shipp... U.S. Shipping Interests Say Jones Act Waiver Would Do Little to Lower Gasoline Prices https://gcaptain.com/u-s-shipping-int... MARAD US Flag Fleet Jan 2026 https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/ma... CBP Updated Guidance #3: Implementation of Jones Act Waiver issued to the Department of War, dated March 17, 2026 https://content.govdelivery.com/accou... MARAD Domestic Shipping - March 17, 2026 Jones Act Waiver https://www.maritime.dot.gov/ports/do... Holland & Knight - Jones Act Waiver Issued in Response to Iran Conflict: Legal Analysis and Implications https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/pub... Trump Waives Jones Act for 60 Days—Shipping Interests Say It Won’t Help Lower Gas Prices https://gcaptain.com/trump-waives-jon... Jones Act Waiver Leaves Key Question Unanswered: What Laws Apply to Foreign Ships in U.S. Trade? https://gcaptain.com/jones-act-waiver... K&L Gates: Foreign Vessels Operating Under the Jones Act Waiver Should Consider What Other US Laws May Apply https://www.klgates.com/Foreign-Vesse... Opposition to Jones Act Waiver Extension Widens as Maritime Industry Pushes Back https://gcaptain.com/opposition-to-jo... Trump’s Waiver Of Jones Act Fails To Cool Oil Prices https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil... American Maritime Partnership - Jones Act Gasoline Waiver Impact: Negligible https://www.americanmaritimepartnersh... Latest Waiver Is Another Indictment of the Jones Act https://www.cato.org/blog/latest-waiv... EIA: US Gulf Coast Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel Spot Price https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/EER... Refinery closures and rising consumption will reduce U.S. petroleum inventories in 2026 https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/det...