Following the U.S. government’s 60-day waiver of the Jones Act on 18 March 2026, industry analysts from Poten & Partners suggest that foreign-flagged tankers will complement rather than replace domestic vessels .
The majority of Jones Act tankers are currently fully employed, meaning foreign vessels are filling a capacity gap rather than taking existing work.
Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has driven up international freight rates, narrowing the price gap between foreign and domestic tankers.
The waiver is primarily designed to facilitate the rapid transport of 172 million barrels released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to U.S. ports within a tight 60-day window.
At least two foreign tankers have already been tentatively booked for domestic transit.
Analysts estimate the move may slow retail gas price increases by approximately 5 to 10 cents per gallon.
Groups like the American Maritime Partnership remain “deeply concerned” that the waiver could still displace American workers and set a problematic long-term precedent.
The waiver, authorized by the Trump administration to address supply chain disruptions from the Iran conflict, covers the movement of oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal.
Note by. Alessandro Bazzoni