A temporary and focused Jones Act Waiver has been issued by the Department of Homeland Security to address Puerto Rico's needs as hurricane recovery operations continue.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the waiver to assist in the wake of Hurricane Fiona in an Oct. 16 DHS news release. The waiver will help "address the unique and urgent need for liquified natural gas in Puerto Rico."

"As with the previous waiver, the decision to approve was made in consultation with the Departments of Transportation and Energy to assess the justification for the waiver request and based on input from the governor of Puerto Rico and others on the ground supporting recovery efforts,” Mayorkas said in the release.

The Jones Act is essential for preserving the health of the American shipbuilding and marine sectors because it mandates that all maritime freight movement between U.S. ports take place on vessels flying the American flag, the release reported. The Department of Homeland Security may provide a waiver to the Jones Act if the intended shipments are in the interest of national security and after careful consideration of the problem when U.S. flagged vessels are not readily available to meet national defense requirements.