Lates News

Trump will extend the exemption of the Jones Act, which allows foreign vessels to transport oil and other goods within the United States, for an additional 90 days, but with new restrictions. Due to the disruption of crude oil flows and rising fuel costs caused by the Iran war, Trump continues to maintain the relevant exemptions while narrowing their scope. The new exemptions will focus on energy transportation, including gasoline, aviation fuel, crude oil, naphtha, liquefied natural gas, soybean oil, and fertilizers. In the future, the Pentagon must consult with the U.S. Maritime Administration before deciding whether to exempt individual voyages. The White House stated that the exemption helps ensure that the U.S. military and critical industries continue to have access to essential resources and increases domestic transportation of products such as gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. However, U.S. shipbuilding companies and some members of Congress believe that the exemption undermines the Jones Act's protection of the domestic shipping industry.