Industry may seek Jones Act waiver

A disruption of oil refinery operations and ocean shipping on the Gulf Coast, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, may prompt the oil industry to request a waiver of the Jones Act to permit non-U.S. vessels to move crude oil and refined products to eastern markets. However, U.S. agencies have sparingly granted waivers after severe storms, although they were granted after hurricanes Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2012. (Source: Lexology 08/31/17)