U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration Announces New Action to Unleash American Energy

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently announced the issuance of the Texas Gulflink LLC (TGL) Record of Decision (ROD) to Sentinel Midstream, LLC, which will own, construct, and operate a deepwater port for the export of domestically produced crude oil. This action supports President Donald Trump’s Unleashing American Energy Executive Order that was signed on January 20, 2025.

The proposed deepwater port project will be located approximately 26.6 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County, Texas, and will establish a shoreside support facility at an operational commercial site within Freeport Harbor. The project will also utilize dock space at the Port Freeport Public Docks located in Freeport, TX.

“Today, we are unleashing the full power of American energy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “With this approval, we are increasing our energy revenue and unlocking our vast oil resources—not just for domestic security, but to dominate the global market. While the previous administration sat on their hands, our oil supply sat readily available beneath our feet, and American families paid the price at the pump. The previous leaders of this Department chose inaction while gas prices soared, leaving hard-working Americans to struggle. We will not stand by and allow this to continue.

This plan opens the floodgates for American oil exports, putting our producers in the driver’s seat and ensuring that the world looks to the United States—not foreign adversaries—for energy supply. By expanding production and giving American companies the ability to compete on the world stage, we are advancing American energy security, bringing more money into our country, and driving down costs for consumers. This plan is a declaration that American energy will fuel not just our own economy, but the global market—on our terms.”

On May 30, 2019, MARAD and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received an application from TGL for a license to construct, own, and operate a proposed deepwater port to export crude oil. The USCG and MARAD, in coordination with participating Federal Agencies, prepared the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which was published on July 5, 2024. MARAD reviewed and addressed the substantive public comments received on the FEIS.

This Deepwater Port ROD was guided by the nine statutory requirements contained in the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 and upon issuance, the document will be placed on the official docket at www.regulations.gov.