TradeWinds: Foreign tankers to ‘complement rather than displace’ Jones Act vessels after waiver

March 22, 2026 Foreign-built vessels are unlikely to displace Jones Act tankers after the US government waived the cabotage law for 60 days, Poten & Partners has concluded. Erik Broekhuizen, manager of marine research and consulting at the New York shipbroker, said the waiver approved by the government of US President Donald Trump comes at a time when the vast majority of Jones Act tankers are likely to be fully employed. And he said the conflict in the Middle East has lifted rates for international-flag tankers, minimising and sometimes even eliminating the differential with Jones Act vessels. To read the full article, click here.