The latest Jones Act waiver significantly narrows the relief available to maritime operators and introduces new requirements for companies seeking to transport eligible cargo aboard foreign-flag vessels. Galloway Managing Director Jason Waguespack recently spoke with WorkBoat about the third Jones Act waiver issued since March and what maritime operators need to know about the new framework, which took affect August 17 and runs through November 15, 2026.
“The most significant difference is that this latest waiver is considerably narrower than its predecessors,” Waguespack told WorkBoat. “Rather than continuing the broader approach taken under the earlier waivers, the newest extension is directed even more specifically at energy-related products.”
The latest waiver reduces the list of potentially covered products from 660 under the March waiver to 238 and establishes a voyage-by-voyage review process. Operators must satisfy pre-voyage requirements, including providing information about the vessel, cargo, and proposed voyage, and must submit a report to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) within 10 days after completing the voyage.
Waguespack cautioned that operators should be prepared for careful review under the new framework.
“Given MARAD’s role in protecting the U.S. maritime industry, operators should expect request to receive careful scrutiny rather than assume approval will be automatic,” he said.
Waguespack also discussed the absence of a definition for whether a voyage is “in the interest of national defense,” the documentation operators should prepare, and the importance of monitoring CBP and MARAD communications for additional guidance.
