One full year after completing its high-stakes acquisition of New Fortress Energy’s Jamaican assets, US-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) firm Excelerate Energy gathered key stakeholders to mark the milestone at a special celebration hosted by the United States Embassy in Jamaica. The event, held April 28 at the Chief of Mission’s residence in the Jack’s Hill neighborhood of Kingston, brought together top industry leaders, senior Jamaican government officials, and diplomatic representatives to toast the company’s first 12 months of operations on the island.
In opening remarks to guests, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Scott Renner framed the first year of Excelerate’s operations as more than a corporate success — it stands as a tangible strengthening of both Jamaica’s energy landscape and the decades-long bilateral partnership between the United States and Jamaica. Renner emphasized that accessible, dependable energy is the backbone of any thriving modern economy, and projects like Excelerate’s Jamaican operations deliver both expanded economic opportunity and enhanced long-term energy security for the Caribbean nation.
Renner highlighted the depth of Excelerate’s commitment to Jamaica beyond its core corporate investments, noting the firm has already poured $1 billion into local operations and stepped up to support disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. When the storm hit, the company deployed its LNG carrier *Excelerate Shenandoah* to deliver $500,000 worth of emergency supplies to affected communities. He also noted the symbolic alignment of the milestone: Excelerate’s first anniversary in Jamaica coincides with the 250th semiquincentennial celebration of the United States, a dual milestone that reflects shared values of innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaboration between the two nations.
“America is defined by enterprise, innovation, and shared success. But our story is not one we write alone — we walk it with partners, and Jamaica is one of our closest partners,” Renner told attendees. “This partnership extends far beyond government cooperation; it thrives in civil society, in the private sector, and in the investments businesses like Excelerate choose to make abroad.”
For his part, Excelerate Energy President and Chief Executive Officer Steven Kobos expressed pride in the progress the company has delivered in its first year, and reaffirmed the firm’s long-term commitment to growing its footprint in Jamaica. Recalling his first meeting with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness following the acquisition, Kobos noted he had promised the prime minister that the company would prove its reliability through action, not just words.
“We made clear when we closed this acquisition that we were in Jamaica for the long haul, and today we are reaffirming that commitment. We absolutely plan to invest additional capital into the country — this is the right place for us to grow, and we are incredibly excited for what comes next,” Kobos said.
As a symbolic tribute to the first year of partnership, Kobos presented Jamaican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith with a detailed scale model of the *Sequoia*, one of Excelerate’s LNG carriers. Johnson Smith spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Holness at the event, praising Excelerate’s operations as a critical catalyst for Jamaica’s ongoing transition to more sustainable, accessible energy sources.
“The LNG infrastructure Excelerate operates today is central to our energy transition goals. It has helped stabilize electricity generation costs for Jamaican consumers, strengthened our national energy security, and created an entirely new industrial platform that simply did not exist before this investment,” Johnson Smith explained. “This is tangible, meaningful progress, and it is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when public and private partners from aligned nations come together around a shared goal.”
Following the formal remarks, guests enjoyed catered cuisine from celebrated Jamaican chef Oji Jaja, live music from violinist Meah Eliana, and DJ sets from Damion Haber, as attendees networked and toasted to future collaboration between Excelerate and Jamaican stakeholders. The event included representation from across Jamaica’s leading public and private sectors, with senior leaders in attendance from organizations including Sagicor Group, Grace Kennedy Group, the Development Bank of Jamaica, Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited, the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, and National Commercial Bank.