Navios Partners Surpasses $840m in VLCC Newbuild Commitments as Jones Act Waiver Process Clarified

## Navios Partners Pushes VLCC Newbuild Programme Past $840m New York-listed Navios Maritime Partners has significantly expanded its supertanker fleet renewal programme, ordering three additional scrubber-fitted very large crude carriers (VLCCs) in a deal worth $361.5m, according to Splash247. The latest acquisitions, agreed in June and July at approximately $120.5m per vessel, bring the Angeliki Frangou-led company's total VLCC newbuild commitment to seven ships valued at $843.5m. The scale of the investment underscores Navios Partners' confidence in long-term crude tanker demand, with the scrubber-fitted specification reflecting a strategic bet on the continued viability of high-sulphur fuel oil as a cost-competitive option for large crude carriers. Delivery schedules for the latest trio have yet to be publicly confirmed, but the programme represents one of the more substantial VLCC ordering campaigns by a single owner in recent years. Frangou, who also chairs Navios Maritime Holdings and several affiliated entities, has consistently pursued an aggressive fleet renewal and expansion strategy across the Navios group. The VLCC programme signals a deliberate pivot toward the crude tanker segment at a time when vessel values and freight rates remain a focus of market attention. --- ## Jones Act Waiver Process: What Applicants Need to Know In a separate regulatory development relevant to US coastal shipping operators and energy companies, Seatrade Maritime reports that guidance has been issued clarifying the requirements for submitting a Jones Act waiver request. Applications must be directed to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the US Department of the Army, the report notes. The Jones Act — formally the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — requires that cargo transported between US ports be carried on vessels that are US-built, US-flagged, US-owned, and crewed by US citizens or permanent residents. Waivers are periodically sought during supply disruptions, natural disasters, or other emergency scenarios when compliant tonnage is unavailable or insufficient. A clear understanding of the waiver submission process is of practical importance to energy shippers, port operators, and logistics providers operating within US coastal trade lanes, particularly given recurring debates over the Act's application during periods of domestic fuel supply stress.