The Trump administration said Friday it will extend a waiver of the Jones Act for 90 days, allowing greater flexibility in domestic shipping as officials try to ease pressure from rising fuel prices.
The Jones Act requires goods transported between U.S. ports to be carried on American-built, -owned, and -crewed vessels. The temporary waiver is intended to expand available shipping capacity and speed deliveries of fuel and other critical supplies, according to The Hill.
White House assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers pointed to early effects from the policy, writing on X: “New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach U.S. ports faster.”
The extension comes as global energy markets remain strained. Prices have climbed following the conflict with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments. On Friday, Brent crude rose to $105 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate reached $95. The national average price for gasoline climbed to $4 per gallon, according to AAA.
Rogers said the extension is meant to provide “certainty and stability for the U.S. and global economies.”
She added: “The Trump Administration has taken several actions to mitigate short-term disruptions to the energy markets, and this extension will help ensure vital energy products, industrial materials, and agricultural necessities are maintained.”
The initial waiver was designed to offer limited relief by allowing fuel and refined products to move more efficiently between domestic ports. Administration officials say continuing the policy should help preserve those gains.
Analysts have previously suggested the impact could be modest but measurable. A 2022 estimate by JPMorgan found that suspending Jones Act requirements could reduce gasoline prices on the East Coast by about 10 cents per gallon.
The extension reflects a broader effort by the administration to manage short-term supply disruptions while maintaining the flow of essential goods across domestic markets.
