DOT Approves $8.2 Billion ST LNG Deepwater Port License off Matagorda, Texas: 8.4 Million Tonnes a Year After Fastest Review in Over 20 Years
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced in Houston on October 28 that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has approved a deepwater port license application for ST LNG, LLC. The $8.2 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export port will be built approximately 10.4 miles offshore Matagorda, Texas, with four liquefaction systems totaling 8.4 million tonnes per annum. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the port coming online in 2029, expanding America's LNG export capacity by 7 to 9 percent.
At full capacity, the port will include 20 platforms, four LNG floating storage units, four mooring systems, and 7.7 miles of pipeline, with each of the four liquefaction systems rated at 2.1 million tonnes per annum. The project is expected to support 2,000 construction jobs and up to 855 permanent jobs. Its feed gas will come from the Tres Palacios Natural Gas Storage and Trading Hub and the Williams Markham Gas Processing Plant through an existing Transco pipeline approximately 5.6 miles northeast of the port. The Department said the offshore location is expected to move vessel traffic away from more congested onshore areas, reducing vessel collisions and safety risks.
"By slashing red tape and modernizing our licensing processes, the Trump Administration is delivering a massive economic boom for the people of Texas," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "This project will unleash American energy, ensuring demand for Texas' bountiful natural gas and the men and women who extract it continues to grow." MARAD Administrator Stephen M. Carmel said approving the ST LNG license, the administration's third deepwater port approval, proves crucial energy infrastructure can be accelerated safely while strengthening supply chains and driving down energy prices.
The Department said that after Secretary Duffy directed MARAD to take over and overhaul deepwater port licensing, MARAD finalized the project's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in just 410 days, nearly 3.7 years faster than the historical average, a 70 percent reduction in review time and the fastest deepwater port license review in more than two decades. MARAD partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard, key federal agencies, and the State of Texas on safety and security standards. The Record of Decision and related documents are available at regulations.gov under Docket Number MARAD-2025-0096.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：液化天然气运输船（资料图）。Steven L. Markos 摄，CC BY 2.5，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / An LNG carrier (file photo). Photo by Steven L. Markos, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
