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Jones Act Waiver Drives Record Gulf Coast Shipments to East, West Coasts, EIA Says

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Waterborne petroleum shipments from the US Gulf Coast surged after a Jones Act waiver expanded shipping options between US ports, the US Energy Information Administration said Monday.

The Department of Homeland Security first issued the limited waiver March 17 and has renewed it since, allowing more vessels to transport goods between US ports.

Shipments from the US Gulf Coast, PADD 3, to the West Coast, PADD 5, more than quadrupled over the year in April and May, while broader Gulf Coast flows to both coasts rose after the waiver, EIA said.

From 2021 through February 2026, renewable diesel made up 96% of Gulf Coast-to-West Coast waterborne shipments. Gasoline blending components, finished motor gasoline, jet fuel, and crude oil were added to the route in April, broadening the product mix.

Total Gulf Coast-to-West Coast shipments rose to 190,000 barrels per day in April from below 30,000 b/d in January and February.

Gulf Coast shipments to the East Coast, PADD 1, reached a record 1.2 million b/d in April, 11% above the previous high, as Florida relies heavily on Gulf Coast refining centers for transportation fuel.

Gasoline blending component shipments reached a record 620,000 b/d in April, while distillate fuel shipments also hit a high of 220,000 b/d.

Total waterborne movements fell 12% in May, while Gulf Coast crude shipments to the East Coast rose to a record 180,000 b/d, according to EIA.

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