After a six-month review process Plaquemines Port, Harbor and Terminal District (PPHTD) and APM Terminals have signed a Letter of Intent to move forward with a new container terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

Under the LoI, “APM Terminals will become the operator of the newly planned Container Terminal and Intermodal Rail Facility and external parties will be the investor in the new port. Plaquemines Port and their financial partners will manage the financial activities associated with the infrastructure development, investment, and ownership of the port”.

The port, which is described as “in the early stages of development” features a “state-of-the-art” container terminal with a water depth of 50ft and some 8,200ft of frontage on the Mississippi river. Further background on the development of the port, the plan for a new series of container vessels designed especially for the Mississippi River and the financial partners can be found at this link.

“We’re excited by the prospect of starting a new economic chapter in U.S. ports by developing America’s newest port here in Louisiana, one that has the potential to install new U.S. supply chain capabilities, build new businesses, create new jobs for our great state and generate economic impact throughout our country,” said Governor of Louisiana John Bel Edwards. “Ports are economic engines and APM Terminals – a leader whose expertise is known globally – is ideally qualified to help us develop and operate one of the newest ports in the world.”

Wim Lagaay, CEO of APM Terminals North America said “We see tremendous opportunity to write a new supply chain playbook for U.S. exporters and importers with this location. Exporters are looking for ways to ship their products overseas with a competitive port and importers are looking for more ways to reach major regional consumer markets in the South and Midwest. We look forward to working with the Plaquemines Port Team, their partners and with State and Local leaders to ensure the port operates on world-class levels as a Louisiana success story.”

PPHTD Executive Director Sandy Sanders said, “Our vision is to create a new port with an entirely new supply chain network into the United States. We will have multiple routing options to inland markets which give supply chain planners the resiliency and contingency layers essential to manage future supply chains effectively. We have also carefully selected our partners, APM Terminals, American Patriot Holdings and Louisiana 23 Development Company who share our vision to engineer a logistics business model that attracts private

investment dollars and new cargo to Louisiana and strategic inland markets.”

Plaquemines Parish was impacted by Hurricane Ida earlier this year, with a flood surge that breached some levees. PPHTD and APM Terminals said there will be a special focus on engineering infrastructure to withstand storm surges and wind damages, and the port connecting infrastructure will be built 16ft above sea level.

“The Army Corps of Engineers will focus on bolstering levees around the site and connecting infrastructure. To reduce the risk of flooding of the terminal site and surrounding area, the US Army Corps of Engineers is building a new federal levee system. This system will bring the existing flood protection from a 4 foot height to a new and robust 14 foot height and will tie back into the Mississippi River levees at a height of 15 feet. Once completed, the system will be able to protect the site from devastating storm surges similar to those of Hurricane Ida. Construction of the flood protection profile is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2023.

“To further mitigate flood risk, the port has adopted a Multiple Lines of Defence Strategy to restore coastal wetlands in the frontline of the storm surge and provide additional protection to hurricane levees that surround the facilities. The port is working with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority on developing restoration and resiliency projects that would provide additional protection to the terminal as well as vulnerable communities outside of the flood protection section”.

Phase One of construction is expected to last two years and will deliver the capability to handle 22,000-TEU class vessels with the ability to expand capacity as needed. There is no date for opening at this stage.