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$1.8bn expansion planned at Port of New Orleans

Port of New Orleans port of new orleans.jpg
Major port terminal operators based in New Jersey and Switzerland have committed $800m toward a planned $1.8bn container facility on the Lower Mississippi River.

New Jersey-based Ports America and Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), through its investment and development subsidiary Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), will partner with the state and with the Port of New Orleans on the project.

State officials said the facility will be able to serve vessels of all sizes, increasing Louisiana’s import and export capacity. The new facility at Violet, downriver from New Orleans, will take advantage of deeper Mississippi River waters while eliminating any height restrictions from bridges spanning the river.

“This new terminal will also strengthen Louisiana’s ability to attract distribution centers, logistics services and value-added services through Port NOLA’s multimodal connectivity,” the state news release said.

The project is currently under review by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Construction for the new termimal with a capacity of 2m teu, is slated to begin in 2025 with the first berth to open in 2028.

The new Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) project in St. Bernard Parish will see $800m invested by Ports America and TIL, in addition to “substantial commitment” from Port NOLA, as well as state and federal funds.

Port NOLA purchased 1,200 acres of land in Violet in 2020, sufficient to accommodate the terminal, value-added services, and warehousing facilities.

“Today, the container trade in Port NOLA mainly consists of export cargo, making it an exception among US ports, which are usually import-heavy. LIT will attract new container trades, providing access for local industry to cost-competitive shipping options,” said Tom Van Eynde, TiL terminal investment director for North America.

State Sen. Sharon Hewitt said in the state's news release that the Legislature and governor have committed $50m to the project so far. “And I will continue to work with the Port of New Orleans, our federal delegation, and our local leaders to ensure that the infrastructure needed to support the Louisiana International Terminal is delivered timely,” Hewitt said.