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12/23/2020
The Port of New Orleans' (Port NOLA) board this week voted to acquire property in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, that one day could become a $1.5 billion multimodal container terminal that would serve the largest container vessels calling in the Gulf of Mexico.
The acquisition of nearly 1,100 acres in Violet, Louisiana, at Mississippi River Mile Marker 83 is expected to be completed by Dec. 31. A two-year due diligence, permitting and community engagement process is slated to begin in early 2021, Port NOLA officials said in a press release.
The location includes existing multimodal infrastructure with access to six Class Is and interstate highways.
Port NOLA's container volumes more than doubled in 10 years, with double-digit growth in 2018 and 2019. Recognizing the need for additional container capacity, the port is investing more than $100 million to add four new 100-gauge gantry cranes and associated improvements in its existing container facilities.
However, an additional terminal is needed to handle projected volumes. A new terminal would complement the port's existing Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal by exceeding water draft levels and eliminating air draft restrictions, port officials said.
"This property acquisition and due diligence process is an exciting step forward," said Brandy Christian, the port's president and chief executive officer. "Our strategic master plan identified the opportunity, and we are working hard to move forward with a project that provides regional and statewide benefits."
Central to the development is naturally deep-draft riverfront acreage at Violet that historically has been used for maritime operations including ship repair and cargo handling, port officials said.