Operations · LNG market·16 Aug 2026·Brownsville Ship Channel · Texas
Rio Grande LNG: first gas still 2H 2026. The chartered ships are not on the waterway
NextDecade reports construction at Rio Grande LNG continues ahead of schedule and within budget. First gas into the facility is expected in the second half of 2026. First LNG from Train 1 is expected in the first half of 2027.
The site is on the north shore of the Brownsville Ship Channel. Phase 1 plus Trains 4 and 5 comprise five liquefaction trains, approximately 30 mtpa, four 180,000 m³ tanks and two jetties designed for carriers up to 216,000 m³. A formal application for Train 6 and an additional berth was filed with FERC in May 2026; the final EIS is scheduled for 25 June 2027. Confirmed by NextDecade Q2 2026 update and project page.
The Brownsville Ship Channel has been deepened. USACE states the entrance and jetty channels are now 54 feet and the main channel 52 feet. A 2017 USCG Letter of Recommendation found the waterway suitable for the projected LNG traffic associated with the project. Current ATON work: the Channel A Range front light has been reported destroyed and partially submerged; it is marked. Conversions of Channel A and proposed Channel F ranges to day/night optics are under way or under comment until 29 September 2026. Confirmed by USACE 26 June 2026 and USCG LNM 32-2026.
Three LNG carriers appear in the file with project links. CLEAN ENERGY (IMO 9323687) carried a Dynagas charter window March–May 2026; on this AIS fix she is at anchor in South East Asia. ARCTIC AURORA (IMO 9645970) carries a September–November 2026 window; she is at anchor in the North East Atlantic. CLEAN BROWNSVILLE (IMO 9994046), a 2026 newbuild whose name is linked to the port, is at anchor in East Asia under lay-up destination. None is at Brownsville. None is an FSRU. Confirmed by VesselFinder AIS and registry extracts retrieved 16 August 2026.
Single-source construction snapshots (Sergio Chapa 14 August) show tank 1 inner pipe, Train 2 compressor string, Train 5 soil stabilisation and Jetty 1 work. Official NextDecade aerial of the site is available.
Established
- Construction status and schedule targets as stated by NextDecade 30 July 2026.
- Channel depths 52/54 ft (USACE).
- 2017 USCG LOR: waterway suitable.
- Current ATON status for Channel A and F ranges (LNM 32-2026).
- Positions of the three named LNGCs on 16 Aug AIS: none at Brownsville.
Not established
- Actual first-gas date.
- Any LNGC currently alongside or in the channel for the project.
- Status of CLEAN RIO GRANDE (not in this pass).
- Exact 33 CFR 165 security zone text.
- Whether the Chapa photos are the current official progress state.
Contact: desk@seavanta.com — tips, corrections, I was there.