A Louisiana seaport located 20 miles south of the Port of New Orleans and adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico has announced plans to develop “a major container terminal” in cooperation with the global port operator APM Terminals, the partners said today.
Leaders at Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District said their location at the mouth of the Mississippi River provides water access to 33 states – allowing businesses to benefit from barge, rail, and interstate highway access across much of the U.S. That positions Plaquemines Port to serve expanding global markets for oil & gas, grain, coal, and chemicals, they said.
The facility would grow its container capabilities under the terms on a “letter of intent” signed with APM Terminals (APMT), one of the largest terminal operators in the world and a subsidiary of ocean logistics giant A.P. Moller-Maersk. APMT currently operates 64 maritime terminals in 38 countries. Its four container terminals in the U.S. include port facilities in Los Angeles; Miami; Mobile, Alabama; and Port Elizabeth, New Jersey.
The Port of New Orleans did not reply to a request for comment about the construction of a new facility so close to its own operation.
According to the new deal, Plaquemines Port will lease land to APM under a 30-year agreement with extension options. APMT estimates the initial investment in terminal infrastructure will be approximately $500 million, which will be privately funded.
The initial phase will encompass 200 acres, on-dock rail, and a berth capable of handling the largest ships now traversing the expanded Panama Canal, which carry 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of shipping containers. The letter also includes options to expand the site up to 900 acres for terminal expansion and complementary logistics activities.
“In time, this greenfield site has all the potential to evolve into one of the big ship gateways into the U.S.,” Wim Lagaay, APM's Senior Investment Advisor to the CEO, said in a release. “This venture allows us to build from the ground up, integrating cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices to create a modern logistics hub that prioritizes safety, efficiency, and productivity. Our collaboration with the Plaquemines Port and local stakeholders is key to developing a facility that sets new industry standards and serves as a boon to the economic vitality of the region.”
