The Jones Act: Emergency Waivers, Maritime Jobs, and National Security

What is the Jones Act—and why does this century-old maritime law still matter?

Dan Smiley is joined by Sarah Fryer, Director of Government Affairs at Centerline Logistics, and Mark Curtis, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and Resilience at Fairwater. Together, they explain the Jones Act’s origins, the requirements for transporting cargo between U.S. ports, and the important distinction between U.S.-flagged and Jones Act-qualified vessels.

The conversation examines how temporary waivers have supported genuine emergencies such as hurricanes and the Colonial Pipeline shutdown—and why the broad fuel waiver in effect at the time of recording has raised concerns throughout the domestic maritime industry. The guests discuss its effects on American mariners, vessel operators, shipbuilding investment, fuel transportation, and national security.

They also make the case for returning to narrowly tailored, short-duration waivers that are used only when qualified American vessels are unavailable. 

Plus, save the date for the Washington State Maritime Cooperative’s 2026 Preparedness Conference, October 21–22 at the Silver Cloud Hotel at Point Ruston in Tacoma.