President Donald Trump waived a century-old shipping law Wednesday to allow foreign vessels to ship goods between American ports, as the administration races to contain rising fuel prices caused by the war in Iran.
The president issued a 60-day suspension of the Jones Act, which typically required goods moved between domestic ports to travel on U.S.-built and -operated vessels. The goal, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, is to ease supply bottlenecks and lower prices for energy amid the Middle East conflict.
“President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” Leavitt said. “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains.”
The temporary suspension — which the White House floated last week — could anger American-based shipbuilding and shipping companies, although some analysts previously told POLITICO it would not have a significant impact on the industries as long as it remains temporary.
