4 Shippers Intend to Use Jones Act Waiver to Aid in Sandy Relief
As of Wednesday, four companies have confirmed with the U.S government that they plan on taking advantage of the Jones Act blanket waiver issued by the Department of Homeland Security about one week ago.
Jones Act Waived to Support Region’s Recovery From Superstorm
The rare waiver is allowing foreign-flagged ships to take oil products and additives from the U.S. Gulf to the Northeast to help relieve the fuel crisis brought on by Hurricane Sandy.
The four companies notified the Maritime Administration (MARAD) of their intent to use the waiver to transport the necessary products to ensure that the U.S. has the fuel needed to proceed with recovery efforts, according to Reuters. MARAD would not say which companies intended to use the waiver.
The number of shippers could increase as companies are not required to notify the government that they intend to ship oil to the Northeast until 24 hours after loading in the Gulf of Mexico. The waiver allows the foreign ships to load oil products from the Gulf until November 13 and deliver it to Northeast ports by November 20.
The Jones Act, part of the 1920 Merchant Marine Act, was created to support domestic jobs in the shipping industry. It requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by ships built domestically and staffed by U.S. crews.
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