There was a major announcement yesterday as Gov. John Bel Edwards revealed that two major players in the maritime industry are partnering with Louisiana and the Port of New Orleans to build a giant container terminal.
Edwards called it an historic public-private partnership between the state, the port, New Jersey-based Ports America and Mediterranean Shipping Company of Switzerland. The two companies have committed $800 million toward the project.
Edwards said the total investment will be $1.8 billion in the new container terminal on the lower Mississippi River.
The new facility will be called the Louisiana International Terminal. It will be built in St. Bernard Parish and will accommodate vessels of all sizes. Right now some container ships are too tall to pass under the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans to reach the city’s port.
The state says the new terminal built downriver will keep Louisiana competitive.
The port estimates the project will create more than 17,000 new jobs statewide by 2050.
