Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (November 2026)

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Insider Insights

AWO

America’s Maritime Future is Worth

More Than a Penny at the Pump

By Jennifer Carpenter, President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators

We are approaching the end of America’s 250th birth- tion to case-by-case review based on availability of U.S. day year, a year of re? ecting on the vital contributions of vessels, U.S. Maritime Administration data has shown that

American maritime to building and strengthening our most requests to move cargo under the waiver have been nation. Against this backdrop, it’s ironic and unfortunate for ordinary commercial voyages with no clear nexus to that this year has also brought a misguided assault on the emergency or military needs.

Jones Act, the foundation of America’s maritime strength A recent MARAD Vessel Availability Request high- and independence throughout the modern era. The trad- lights this reality starkly: On October 26, MARAD eoff? America’s maritime future for a political talking point noti? ed the American maritime industry of a shipper’s and less than a penny a gallon in savings at the gas pump. request to determine vessel availability to move one of

In March, shortly after the initiation of hostilities in ? ve potential cargoes from Louisiana and/or Texas to 10

Iran, the Trump Administration announced a broad waiv- potential U.S. destinations, each also separated by the er of the Jones Act under 46 U.S. Code Section 501(a), phrase “and/or.” Clearly, this was a case of commercial which allows the law to be waived when “necessary in the arbitrage, and not an emergency – much less a national interest of national defense to address an immediate ad- defense emergency – anywhere. verse impact on military operations.” At the same time, Appropriately, the waiver request was denied. To be the Administration signaled that the real purpose of the clear: the problem is not MARAD, which has performed waiver was to bring down domestic gas prices, which had admirably, with personnel standing watch 24/7 since Au- risen substantially in the wake of disruption to the ? ow of gust to process vessel availability requests. The problem is oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Neither justi? cation has the waiver itself, which allows shippers and traders to en- held up. The waiver has not been used to address a nation- gage in ? shing expeditions that waste taxpayer dollars and al defense emergency. The blanket waiver in place from chill domestic maritime investment.

March to August covered over 600 commodities, with Meanwhile, Americans ? lling up their vehicles can see waiver shipments consisting mainly of commercial fuels plainly that waiving the Jones Act has had no meaning- and crude oil and not military-grade fuels. Since the waiver ful impact on the price at the pump. This is unsurprising, mechanics shifted in August from broad blanket applica- as the price of gas is determined by factors including the © Darunrat/AdobeStock 20 | MN November 2026