Greater New Orleans, Inc. has released a comprehensive economic and fiscal impact analysis of the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), finding that the container ship terminal in Violet will generate more than $33 million in new annual tax revenues for St. Bernard Parish at full buildout — equivalent to a 58% increase over the parish’s current tax base — while adding more than 4,300 direct and indirect jobs to a workforce of fewer than 12,000.
The analysis draws on three independent economic models that, taken together, find LIT will represent the most significant economic investment in St. Bernard Parish’s modern history. These include a 2023 study by Lewis Terrell & Associates and LSU, a 2025 fiscal analysis by RAL Forensics, and IMPLAN modeling commissioned by GNO, Inc.
“This conservative analysis makes clear that LIT is a generational opportunity for St. Bernard,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “The tax revenues and jobs from LIT – the cleanest of industrial uses – will help create a St. Bernard where future generations can grow and thrive.”
When complete, LIT is projected to generate $18.4 million in annual property tax revenues and $14.9 million in annual sales tax revenues, funding distributed directly to the services St. Bernard residents depend on most:
- The St. Bernard Parish School District will receive more than $5 million per year
- Law enforcement will receive more than $5.1 million annually
- The Parish’s Fire District will receive $2.5 million annually
- Drainage and levee maintenance will receive nearly $1 million per year
Even at Phase I, projected to come online in the 2030s, the terminal will generate $18.1 million in new annual revenues, a 35% increase over current parish tax levels.
“This analysis makes clear that the Louisiana International Terminal will be a transformative investment for St. Bernard Parish—generating significant new tax revenue, creating thousands of jobs, and strengthening the economic foundation of the community for decades to come,” said Beth Branch, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “We are proud to advance a project that will support essential services, expand opportunity, and position our region for long-term growth.”
On the employment side, LIT is projected to add 635 jobs in its initial phase, growing to 4,339 direct and indirect jobs once fully operational, representing a 37% increase over St. Bernard’s current employment base of 11,868. The terminal will partner with programs such as Nunez Community College’s Maritime Operations Program to develop a pipeline of locally trained workers.
“Louisiana has always been a trade state, with dozens of ports and waterways that are core to the state’s economic identity,” said Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “Today, container shipping has grown into one of the most competitive industries in the world, and this project ensures the state has the infrastructure to compete and win at the highest level. For St. Bernard Parish and the state alike, LIT means thousands of jobs, a stronger tax base, and a Louisiana that is a leading location for global trade.”
Louisiana’s economy has been built on maritime trade for more than 300 years, and St. Bernard Parish sits at the heart of that legacy. The LSU Reilly Center’s annual Louisiana Survey repeatedly finds the economy to be residents’ top concern, including this past year. In a port state, that means commerce, jobs, and investment in the industries that have long driven growth. The Louisiana International Terminal delivers all three, bringing jobs and new tax revenues to fund St. Bernard’s schools, law enforcement, fire protection, and drainage for generations to come.
