Louisiana’s Plaquemines Port, Harbor and Terminal District (PPHTD) and APM Terminals (APMT) have signed a letter of intent that will make APMT the operator of the planned Container Terminal and Intermodal Rail Facility.
Plaquemines Port and their financial partners will manage the financial activities associated with the infrastructure development, investment, and ownership of the port.
"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," said Governor of Louisiana John Bel Edwards following the announcement of the agreement, noting that it has the potential to install new U.S. supply chain capabilities, among others.
"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," Edwards added.
The facility is in the early stages of development as a 50’ (15.24m) deep water depth, container terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. It is located on the Mississippi River just 50 nautical miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
APM said the terminal will be environmentally-friendly, powered by a combination of natural gas and electricity.
22,000 TEU vessel-ready port
"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," commented Wim Lagaay, CEO of APM Terminals North America.
PPHTD Executive Director Sandy Sanders noted that the 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."
Phase one of construction is expected to last two years and will deliver the capability to handle 22,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) class vessels with the ability to expand capacity as needed.