— Liquefied natural gas supplies to Antigua and Barbuda are expected to begin before the end of 2026, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said Saturday, after dredging work deepened the St. John’s harbour sufficiently to accommodate the vessel that will deliver the fuel.
Browne provided the update during the Browne and Browne Show after being asked about the status of the LNG project.
“We have dredged the harbour down to the depths so the ship can come in now,” Browne said.
The prime minister said the remaining delay relates to the supplier rather than the harbour infrastructure needed to accommodate the vessel.
“My understanding is there are some logistical issues that the supplier is dealing with, and before the end of the year, they will commence the supply of LNG,” Browne said.
His comments indicate that one of the physical requirements for the project — ensuring sufficient harbour depth for the LNG vessel — has now been addressed, leaving the supplier to resolve the outstanding logistical arrangements.
Browne did not identify the specific logistical issues delaying the start of supplies or provide an exact date for the first LNG shipment. He also did not give additional details during Saturday’s discussion about the quantity of LNG expected to be supplied or the frequency with which vessels would call at the port.
However, his statement establishes a new timeline for the project, with the government expecting LNG deliveries to begin sometime before Dec. 31.
The development comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues dredging and upgrading its port infrastructure, an issue Browne discussed extensively during Saturday’s programme.
Earlier in the show, the prime minister said dredging material from the St. John’s harbour had traditionally been transported offshore and dumped at sea at considerable expense. He said the government saved millions of dollars during the latest dredging by pumping some of the material directly to the shoreline near Barnacle Point instead.
Browne said previous administrations had also undertaken harbour dredging, arguing that maintaining adequate depth is necessary to accommodate vessels using Antigua and Barbuda’s port facilities.
The LNG update is significant because Browne said the dredging has now reached the required depth for the ship associated with the fuel supply arrangement.
“We have dredged the harbour down to the depths so the ship can come in now,” he said.
The prime minister presented the remaining hurdle as logistical and expressed confidence that it would be resolved in time for supplies to begin this year.
“Before the end of the year, they will commence the supply of LNG,” Browne said.
He did not announce a specific commissioning date, meaning the start of LNG supplies remains dependent on the supplier resolving those outstanding arrangements.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: LNG Supply to Antigua and Barbuda Expected to Begin Before End of 2026.