Posted on November 10, 2026
The Jones Act waiver is set to expire next Sunday, Nov. 15. One industry group says it has put $700 million of planned dredging vessel investment on hold.
The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) wrote to the White House on Nov. 3 asking that the waiver lapse on Nov. 15. In the letter, AMP says more than $700 million in planned Jones Act dredging vessel investment has been deferred, and more than $2.6 billion in investment across new vessels and shipyard expansion has been delayed.
Those are AMP’s numbers, and AMP represents the U.S. domestic maritime industry. Read them that way.
Quick background. The waiver started in March following an energy disruption. It allows foreign-flag vessels to move specified cargoes between U.S. ports that would normally require Jones Act-qualified vessels.
The August extension narrowed the process. Operators now submit a vessel-availability request, Maritime Administration (MARAD) checks whether a qualified U.S. vessel is available, and the Department of War determines whether the foreign-vessel movement qualifies.
I’m not taking a side on the waiver. My read is about planning.
A hopper dredge is a multi-year investment. It’s hard to make that call when the rules governing the domestic market keep getting extended a few months at a time.
