Port NOLA issues second RFP for $1.5B container terminal

Louisiana International Terminal could handle up to 2 million TEUs annually

Port of New Orleans officials want to expand the port's container-on-barge service when the $1.5 billion Louisiana International Terminal project is completed in 2027. (Photo: Port of New Orleans)

The Port of New Orleans has issued a request for proposals for program management and controls services for development of its new $1.5 billion container terminal.

The container terminal, which will be called the Louisiana International Terminal, will be capable of handling 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units annually.

“A second terminal ensures we will be able to meet current and future container volume demand and continue to serve Louisiana as an economic driver,” Brandy D. Christian, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, said in a statement.

The estimated opening for the Louisiana International Terminal is 2027. The port’s plans call for a 350-acre container terminal with a 3,500-linear-foot wharf on more than 1,000 acres of developable greenfield property.

According to a news release, the site includes a “naturally deep-draft riverfront acreage, a 50-foot Mississippi River channel, documented ability to navigate ships with a capacity up to 23,000 TEUs, access to six Class I railroads through New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and interstate highways.”

Port officials also want to expand their container-on-barge service at the Louisiana International Terminal by partnering with the Port of Baton Rouge and Seacor Marine. 

Responses to the RFP are due July 13. This is the second RFP that has been issued related to the new terminal. The first RFP was issued in early May.

Program management and program controls will essentially handle “project management on a large scale,” according to port spokeswoman Jessica Ragusa.

“The purpose is to manage all the various smaller projects associated with the terminal development. (i.e. design packages, environmental efforts, various field investigations, and construction management, etc.),” Ragusa said. “Program controls is the effort of maintaining the schedule and costs so that we construct the new terminal on schedule and within budget.”

A contract for assistance with preliminary design and permit support services for the Louisiana International Terminal project is scheduled to be awarded at the port commissioners meeting in July.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.

More articles by Noi Mahoney

Port of NOLA sees bump in breakbulk cargo

Cold storage real estate market is hotter than ever

Trade experts take stock on USMCA’s first anniversary

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com