Deepwater Port Licensing: What MARAD’s November Proposal Changes, and What It Does Not
Energy Atlantic at anchor near Port Arthur, Texas, January 12, 2016. Archive photograph of an LNG vessel, not a rendering of a proposed deepwater port. U.S. Coast Guard / Dustin R. Williams. Original · Public domain / use notice . Politics · Offshore energy MARAD’s 2026 Deepwater Port Proposal: The Process Behind the Approval What MARAD’s November proposal changes, what the Coast Guard keeps, and which decisions still stand between an application and an operating port. By NEWJINMEDIA November 6, 2026 · Official-document reporting MARAD’s November 5 proposal changes offshore-port licensing procedures. Read the agency roles, hearing deadlines and remaining conditions. A new federal proposal would put the application process for offshore oil and natural-gas ports under the Maritime Administration, while leaving the Coast Guard responsible for major safety functions. For coastal communities and project developers, the important question is not simply which agency receives the paperwork...