On Monday, January 5, 2026, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a major restructuring of the Deepwater Port Program to accelerate the approval of offshore oil and gas export terminals, shifting primary control from the U.S. Coast Guard to the Maritime Administration (MARAD). The overhaul aims to clear the backlogs of multibillion-dollar projects to support the administration’s “energy dominance” strategy.

MARAD Administrator Steve Carmel stated the agency is prepared to streamline these reviews to better align with the surging demand for U.S. crude oil and natural gas. For official updates on active applications, visit the MARAD Deepwater Port Licensing page.