Report Challenges National Security Case for Extended Jones Act Waiver

A new analysis from maritime consulting firm Navigistics Consulting argues the Trump administration’s emergency Jones Act waiver has failed to deliver its stated objectives, finding no evidence of military necessity or meaningful gasoline price relief while shifting domestic cargoes to foreign-flag vessels, including ships linked to China.

The “Jones Act 2026 Waiver After Action Report,” commissioned by the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), examined the first 60 days of the blanket Jones Act waiver using U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) data covering 659 cargo movements across 78 completed voyages.

The report concludes that none of the documented voyages met the statutory standard requiring an “immediate