The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted the Port of Orleans the federal permit authorizing construction of the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), the first new container terminal on the Gulf Coast in nearly two decades. Upon completion, observers indicated it will allow Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to bring in the ultra-large vessels that currently do not call in the region’s ports.
“Today’s permit turns years of engineering, environmental review, and partnership into forward motion,” said Beth Branch, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “This is not simply a regional port expansion — it is nationally significant infrastructure that will expand American export capacity and position Louisiana to lead the next generation of maritime commerce. We are ready to build.”
Strategically located on the Lower Mississippi River with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, LIT will connect more than 30 states to global markets through direct access to every major Class I railroad and the interstate highway system. Backed by a public-private partnership among Port NOLA, Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), the port terminal operating arm of MSC, and Ports America the project has advanced through federal review with strong support from Louisiana’s bipartisan congressional delegation, the State of Louisiana, and regional economic development leaders.
“This is one of the most strategically significant terminal investments in our global portfolio,” said Ammar Kanaan, CEO of Terminal Investment Limited (TiL). “The Mississippi River corridor gives the United States a chance to build deepwater capacity that rivals any port in the world. We’re proud to invest alongside Port NOLA and Ports America in a project that strengthens America’s position in global trade for decades to come.”
Modern container ships have outgrown much of America’s existing port infrastructure — vessels now regularly exceed 16,000 containers, far beyond what can pass under the fixed clearance of the Crescent City Connection Bridge. LIT will be built to handle these vessels, positioning the Gulf to compete directly for global shipping traffic that might otherwise move through competing gateways.
According to independent economic analysis, (https://www.portnolaimpact.com/) cargo activity through Port NOLA already supports more than $101 billion in total economic value nationwide and more than 342,000 American jobs, including over 122,000 in Louisiana alone. At full buildout, LIT is projected to add thousands of additional jobs and generate billions of dollars in new tax revenue across the country, reinforcing the terminal’s role as critical national infrastructure—not merely a regional project.
(Artist rendering image of LIT)