WILMINGTON, NC – Port authorities are constantly working to balance the movement of commerce with the preservation of coastal resources. Like ports authorities across the nation, the NC State Ports Authority is a vital economic engine for the community, region and state, as well as a conscientious steward of the environment.

In addition to bringing needed jobs to Brunswick County, the North Carolina International Terminal will be unique in that it will be built on vacant land in Brunswick County that is already zoned for heavy industry, with the advantage of incorporating 21st century science, engineering and technologies in its design and operations.

Any comparison between NCIT to the Ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles is outdated and misrepresents the facts. For example, the Ports of LA/Long Beach are 12 ½ times larger than NCIT will be, and currently move nearly six times the volume of containers than NCIT will when fully operational – still many years from now. In addition the vast geography of southern California requires the heavy use of non-port related truck transportation to carry consumer and industrial products to market. These impacts also were included in the study. The Ports of Long Beach / Los Angeles and many other major ports were developed decades ago when environmental regulations were scarce or non-existent.

Significant progress is being made throughout the transportation industry for greener and environmentally friendly operations. New port development projects have and are being approved under stricter environmental guidelines. Terminal engineering and design incorporates the most current technologies and often exceeds mandated environmental standards.

Development of the NCIT is a long process. Community concerns will be studied and evaluated in many reports, and answers will be discovered over the course of the process.
The NC State Ports Authority is committed to developing an environmentally sustainable facility that will benchmark the highest standards of performance for air, land and sea, and with respect for the community. Our desire is to be a good neighbor and to bring economic prosperity to the region and State.