On September 28, 2017, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security signed a waiver of compliance (to be published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2017), pursuant to 46 U.S.C. §501, of the Jones Act’s coastwise transportation laws (46 U.S.C. §55102) following a request by the Department of Defense in the interest of national defense due to the widespread damage to Puerto Rico’s infrastructure from Hurricane Maria. The waiver is to facilitate movement of all products to be shipped from U.S. coastwise points to Puerto Rico and applies to covered merchandise laded on board a vessel within the 10-day period of the waiver (which began on September 28) and delivered by October 18, 2017. Carriers or shippers who conduct transportation pursuant to this waiver should provide notice of the vessel, dates of embarkation and disembarkation, type and quantity of cargo, and port of embarkation to JonesActWaiverRequest@cbp.dhs.gov. A similar waiver was provided after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
