The US government on Friday sought to ease the fuel crunch paralyzing the storm-struck Northeast saying the military would buy motor fuel and truck it there and allow foreign tankers from the Gulf of Mexico to deliver oil products. The Department of Homeland Security waived the Jones Act, a law that normally prohibits foreign-flagged vessels from shipping gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products, from the Gulf of Mexico to Northeastern ports. The waiver, effective immediately, requires shipments to leave the Gulf region by Nov 13 and arrive in the Northeast within a week. With power still out at many ports and gasoline stations hit by superstorm Sandy and as petroleum supplies were robust before the storm, it was unclear how much fuel was needed immediately and how quickly it could get to customers.
