Houston, Texas-based refinery company Phillips 66 has cancelled its request for an exemption from Jones Act rules, which it made in response to the effects of Hurricane Harvey.
The hurricane brought much devastation and historic levels of flooding top parts of Texas and Louisiana, with Houston particularly badly hit.
Under the Jones Act, all items transported between US ports must be done by vessels that are built, flagged, owned and crewed by US parties.
Exemptions can be granted to allow foreign ships to ply such routes in cases of national emergency or national defence.
The Phillips 66 request related to a cargo of crude oil from Corpus Christi to Louisiana Offshore Oil Port. Phillips’ reason was an anticipated shortfall in output from its Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the body that assesses such waiver requests, had taken longer than expected to rule.
And in the meantime Phillips 66 had found adequate Jones Act-compliant transportation.
