Domestic Shipping
The Jones Act - 46 U.S.C. § 55102
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the “Jones Act” (46 U.S.C. § 55102), requires that no vessel may transport any merchandise by water, by land and water, or via a foreign port, for any part of the transportation, between points in the United States, unless the vessel is U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and coastwise endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Waiver of the Navigation Laws - 46 U.S.C. § 501
The navigation laws, including the Jones Act, may be waived by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pursuant to 46 U.S.C. § 501. At the request of the Secretary of War, DHS may grant waivers under 46 U.S.C. § 501(a), if the Secretary of War considers the waiver “necessary in the interest of national defense to address an immediate adverse effect on military operations.”
The Jones Act may also be waived by the DHS Secretary under 46 U.S.C. § 501(b), if the President determines it is “necessary in the interest of national defense”, following a determination by the Maritime Administrator of the non-availability of coastwise-qualified vessels to meet national defense requirements. The Maritime Administrator has made the following vessel non-availability determinations:
- Determination 12 May 2021, Determination 12 May 2021 (Amendment)
- Determination 13 May 2021
- Determination 28 September 2022
- Determination 16 October 2022, Determination 16 October 2022 (Supplement)
Recipients of waivers including vessel owners and operators are required under 46 U.S.C. § 501(c) to report the following information to the Maritime Administration not later than 10 days after the date of the conclusion of the voyage of a vessel that, during such voyage, operated under a waiver:
(A) the name and flag of the vessel;
(B) the name of the owner and operator of the vessel;
(C) the dates of the voyage;
(D) any relevant ports of call;
(E) a description of the cargo carried;
(F) an explanation as to why the waiver was in the interest of national defense; and
(G) any other information the Maritime Administrator determines necessary.
Reports should be sent to MARAD at MARAD.MILCARGO@DOT.GOV and are published below within 48 hours of receipt.
| Shipper | Owner/Operator of Vessel | Vessel Name | Flag of Vessel | Port of Loading | Load Date | Port of Discharge | Discharge Date | Date Reported | Description of Cargo | Explanation of National Defense Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valero Marketing and Supply Company | Sifnos Shipping Corp. | NAVE TITAN | Panama | St. Charles, Louisiana | 5/11/2021 | Stapleton, New York | 5/21/2021 | 5/24/2021 | - | - |
| CITGO Petroleum Corporation | Heroic Columba Inc. | FORRES PARK | Hong Kong | Lake Charles, Louisiana | 5/13/2021 | Linden, New Jersey | 5/28/2021 | 5/28/2021 | - | - |
| SpaceX, LLC | 1. Global Towing Service, LLC 2. Boskalis Offshore Heavy Marine | 1. MR. JONAH 2. MIGHTY SERVANT 1 | 1. United States of America 2. Curacao | Port Canaveral, Florida | 6/10/2021 | Long Beach, California | 7/6/2021 | 8/9/2021 | - | - |
| BP Products North America, Inc. | GY Shipco XII LLC | GH PARKS | Marshall Islands | Texas City, Texas | 9/15/2022 | Guayanilla, Puerto Rico | 10/2/2022 | 10/3/2022 | - | -
|
March 17, 2026 Jones Act Waiver
April 8, 2026 - 9:00 am - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 9, 2026 - 12:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 10, 2026 - 1:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 13, 2026 - 7:00 am - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 14, 2026 - 9:00 am - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 16, 2026 - 8:00 am - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 17, 2026 - 12:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 17, 2026 - 4:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 20, 2026 - 4:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 22, 2026 - 4:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 23, 2026 - 2:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 25, 2026 - 9:00 am - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
April 27, 2026 - 3:00 pm - MARAD 501c Waiver Report
Enforcement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, enforces the Jones Act by imposing penalties for violations. Violations of the Jones Act should be reported to:
The Jones Act Division of Enforcement (JADE)
Office of Field Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(504) 670-2074 jonesact@cbp.dhs.gov
Last updated: Monday, April 27, 2026