The U.S. is temporarily waiving the Jones Act. Here’s what to know

The Jones Act mandates that ships carrying cargo and passengers between U.S. ports must be built in the U.S. and owned by Americans.

Containers are stacked at the Port of Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles. [Photo: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes,File]

As the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran continues to upend energy markets and supply chains worldwide, the Trump administration says it will temporarily waive maritime shipping requirements under a more than century-old law known as the Jones Act.

The Jones Act requires that goods hauled between U.S. ports be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels. Passed in 1920, this law aims to protect the American shipping sector — but it’s also faced criticism over the years for slowing the delivery of goods, including critical aid during time of crisis.

On Wednesday, the White House said that it would suspend Jones Act requirements for 60 days, in a measure that arrives amid wider efforts to counter steep oil prices and cargo disruptions due to the war. The Jones Act is often blamed for making gas, in particular, more expensive. Still, some analysts and industry groups say this waiver will do little to ease consumers’ fuel bills today.

What is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act’s official name is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Congress passed the law — sponsored by Sen. Wesley Jones of Washington state — in an effort to rebuild U.S. shipping after German U-boats decimated America’s merchant flee during World War I.

Among other things, the Jones Act mandates that ships carrying cargo and passengers between U.S. ports must be built in the United States and owned by Americans — effectively prohibiting foreign-flagged ships from this domestic trade. The vessels are also required to carry U.S. crews.

The law can be waived in the “interest of national defense,” the U.S. Maritime Administration notes, either through the Homeland Security or Defense Department.

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