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ARTICLE · 01 MAY 2026

U.S. Customs Clarifies Jones Act Rules For Offshore Platform Decommissioning

Holland & Knight
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a significant ruling establishing that offshore platforms remain coastwise points under the Jones Act even after their associated wells are permanently...

United StatesInternational Law
Sean Pribyl
Sean Pribyl
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a significant ruling establishing that offshore platforms remain coastwise points under the Jones Act even after their associated wells are permanently abandoned – clarifying a previously unsettled area of law with major implications for decommissioning operations.

Background

On May 1, 2026, CBP issued Ruling HQ H349684 in response to a ruling request regarding the use of foreign-flagged vessels in connection with the decommissioning and removal of an offshore platform on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The ruling addresses fundamental questions about when an offshore installation ceases to be a "coastwise point" subject to the Jones Act and other coastwise laws.

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