The US Army Corps of Engineers has granted a federal permit authorising construction of the Louisiana International Terminal on the Lower Mississippi River.
The container terminal is being developed through a public-private partnership between the Port of New Orleans, Terminal Investment and Ports America.
The port said the facility will connect more than 30 states to global markets through direct access to major Class I railroads and interstate highways.
Container ships carrying more than 16,000 containers cannot currently pass beneath the fixed clearance of the Crescent City Connection Bridge.
The Port of New Orleans said the new terminal will be designed to accommodate larger vessels, allowing the region to compete for additional global shipping traffic.
Following the federal approval, the project partners will move into the next phase of development.
“Today's permit turns years of engineering, environmental review, and partnership into forward motion,” said Beth Branch, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port of New Orleans.
She added that the facility will expand US export capacity as development progresses.
