The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted the federal permit authorizing construction of the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), clearing the way for the nation's only new greenfield container port currently under development.
Modern container ships have outgrown much of America's existing port infrastructure — vessels now regularly exceed 16,000 containers, 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.
Located on the Lower Mississippi River with direct access to the Gulf of America, 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.
According to independent economic analysis, 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.
With the federal permit granted, Port NOLA and its private-sector partners will begin moving the project into its next phase. The project continues to be supported by a working relationship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Louisiana, and Louisiana's full federal delegation.
