American Petroleum First Act

This legislative proposal, known as the "American Petroleum First Act," aims to streamline the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products by exempting certain vessels from existing coastwise endorsement requirements . It amends title 46 of the United States Code, allowing vessels engaged in this specific type of transport to receive a certificate of documentation, thereby bypassing some traditional restrictions. However, the bill includes significant exclusions to this exemption. Vessels that are owned by, flagged by, or have any crewmember who is a national of Russia or China , or are owned by the governments of these nations, are explicitly ineligible for this new provision. This ensures that while domestic petroleum transport is facilitated, vessels with specific foreign ties remain subject to current regulations.