Regulatory Alert

White House Extends Jones Act Waiver Through Mid-August

EMA Regulatory Counsel Contacts: Jeff Leiter and Jorge Roman

Friday, April 24, 2026 – The White House today extended its Jones Act waiver by 90 days, keeping foreign-flagged tankers eligible to move crude, fuels, and fertilizer between U.S. ports through mid-August. The waiver, originally issued in March in response to Iran-war-related global shipping disruptions affecting roughly 13 million barrels per day of crude and products, was set to expire May 17. It continues to cover 659 product categories and gives refiners a wider booking window for July and August cargoes.

For EMA members, the principal near-term effect is faster movement of Gulf Coast crude to East Coast refiners, which should support supply availability as refiners position inventories for peak summer demand. Phillips 66 has already shipped Bakken crude from Beaumont to its 185,000-barrel-per-day Trainer, Pennsylvania refinery aboard a Malta-flagged tanker under President Trump’s waiver.

The Administration has paired the extension with fuel specification waivers and limited Russian-crude sanctions relief aimed at keeping physical barrels moving. EMA will continue monitoring the waiver and related supply-chain actions and will update members as developments warrant.