The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has authorized the construction of a long-awaited deepwater container terminal for the Port of New Orleans.

According to an August 17 release, the $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) will be the nation’s only entirely new container port currently being built from the ground up on undeveloped land. It will also allow the Port of New Orleans to handle massive container ships that often exceed 16,000TEUs, far larger than those that can pass under the fixed clearance of the Crescent City Connection Bridge they must navigate in order to reach the current container terminal.

"This is not simply a regional port expansion — it is nationally significant infrastructure that will expand American export capacity and position Louisiana to lead the next generation of maritime commerce," said Port of New Orleans CEO Beth Branch.

The terminal will be positioned on the Lower Mississippi River in Violet, St. Bernard Parish, where containers can be transferred to rail, trucks and barges to be shipped to markets across more than 30 states. The project was first announced in 2022, after Port NOLA purchased more than 1,200 acres in Violet. Funding was provided by a public-private partnership, with terminal operators Ports America and TiL committing $800 million, and the remaining money coming from Port NOLA, and the state and federal government.

Although Port NOLA expects the LIT to generate billions in new tax revenue, St. Bernard Parish residents have spoken out against the planned terminal for years, over concerns related to traffic, noise, pollution and damage to the area's wetland environment. Port NOLA reportedly plans to address those concerns by rerouting traffic, funding the relocation of a neighboring elementary school, and gradually phasing in the terminal's operations through 2050.