US Greenlights Liquefied Natural Gas Exports to Morocco Under FTA

Agadir – The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has authorized Navergy Infrastructure Partners LLC to export up to 51.75 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year to Morocco and other countries with which Washington maintains free trade agreements, according to an official federal order. 

The approval is part of a broader long-term export regime extending through December 31, 2050, and covers both free trade agreement (FTA) and small-scale non-FTA destinations. 

Morocco is listed among the FTA partners eligible to receive US LNG under the decision, alongside countries including Canada, Mexico, Jordan, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea.

LNG export model 

The statement explained that the Navergy project is built around a logistics model relying on eight existing US liquefaction and storage facilities. 

LNG will be loaded into standardized containers, transported by road or barge to US ports, and then shipped on container vessels to international markets.

The system is designed to serve emerging demand hubs, particularly in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, while also enabling deliveries to FTA partner countries such as Morocco under simplified approval conditions.

Washington has set a maximum export ceiling of 0.14 billion cubic feet per day, equivalent to 51.75 billion cubic feet annually. 

Morocco’s integration into US LNG trade channels 

Morocco’s inclusion reflects its status as a US free trade agreement partner, making it eligible for expedited LNG imports under Section 3(c) of the US Natural Gas Act. 

Under this framework, exports to FTA countries are automatically deemed consistent with the public interest and are approved without extended review.

The approval comes as Morocco continues to expand its energy diversification strategy, including investments in LNG infrastructure and gas supply security. 

The authorization could strengthen potential transatlantic energy flows between US producers and Moroccan import infrastructure, depending on future commercial contracts and terminal access agreements.