Frequently Asked Questions

  • As of 2026, the project is still in its early stages; permits and approvals from various agencies will be needed before the project can be constructed. While the Port has nearly completed the analysis and documentation needed for the work to deepen the channel, much of the planning for the terminal and railroad remains. The team is now working to finalize the project’s grant agreements, after which planning, design and the permit process can begin.

    The Port of Coos Bay, which is helping lead this project, has been meeting with local community members to better understand their concerns and hopes for the new container shipping terminal. This feedback has informed a Community Engagement Plan for the project, which outlines outreach and communication activities for the project over the coming years, along with planning, design and permitting.

    There will be multiple opportunities for the public to learn more and comment on different parts of the project in the coming months and years. These opportunities will be posted on this website and shared through the project newsletter. Sign up to receive updates. 

  • The proposed Pacific Coast Intermodal Port would serve a different purpose than Coos Bay’s existing port operations. The new shipping terminal would connect international shipping routes with America’s inland markets and primarily handle containers transporting commercial goods. 

    Even though it’s not a large metropolitan area, Coos Bay is home to the largest deep-water port between San Francisco and Puget Sound. It also has three key elements necessary for a container shipping terminal: 

    • an existing deep draft navigation channel maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

    • rail access to a Class 1 transportation network 

    • hundreds of acres of port-owned property with quick and easy access to the open ocean 

    Coos Bay is the only undeveloped location on the West Coast with all of these elements. Establishing a container shipping terminal in Coos Bay would increase West Coast port capacity by up to 10%, which would support faster, more efficient international trade.

  • The new container shipping terminal would occupy 175 acres on the North Spit peninsula, directly west of North Bend. The land is owned by the Port of Coos Bay. The facility would be located on the inland side of the peninsula, and ships would access it by traveling into Coos Bay Harbor and 6 miles up the channel.

  • The Port of Coos Bay and NorthPoint Development, a Kansas City-based industrial real estate developer, are leading the project in a public-private partnership. The Port owns the land and has signed an agreement to lease it to the developer, which will operate the new shipping terminal.

  • The total project cost estimate (including planning, design and construction of the new container shipping terminal, as well as the channel deepening and rail improvements) is currently $2.3 billion. This estimate will likely change in the coming years as plans evolve and more information becomes available.  

    If approved, the project will be funded through a combination of state and federal grants, federal loans, private funding and other sources. Several grants have already been awarded. See details on our About page.

  • Provided the project is able to secure necessary funding and approvals and is not delayed, the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port would open after about five years of work: two years for planning, permits and approvals; and three years for construction. Read more on our About page. 

  • This project will need different types of approvals from different government agencies. One of the most important approvals needed comes from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This policy requires the lead federal agency to assess and document the environmental and related social and economic effects of large construction projects. 

    The project must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in support of the federal funding and permitting process, which will include assessing environmental and socioeconomic impacts and mitigation strategies. The Port anticipates the need to evaluate potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the project’s operations, should it be constructed, to inform permit applications. This may include, but not be limited to, the extent and effects of: 

    • Air, water and soil pollutants or contaminants 

    • Noise pollution 

    • Light pollution 

    • Invasive species 

    • Aquatic life — including eelgrass beds, salmon nurseries and oyster habitat 

    • Public health 

    • Historic, sacred or culturally significant sites 

    • Livelihoods including tourist services and commercial fishing 

    • Aesthetics and natural beauty 

    • Recreational uses 

    • Housing availability and affordability 

    • Public services—including schools, healthcare, social services and law enforcement 

    • Transportation, including traffic congestion 

    • People with low or fixed incomes, who have the greatest risk of displacement. 

    In addition to the NEPA process, the project will also need permits or approvals from Cities of Coos Bay and North Bend; Coos, Douglas and Lane counties; and various state and federal agencies. Tribal governments will also be engaged in government to government consultation with the federal agencies before any decisions are made or permits are issued. See a more complete list on page 21 of the Community Engagement Plan.

  • Project leaders don’t yet know all the ways a new shipping container terminal would affect the community. During the planning and design phase, the Port of Coos Bay will:  

    • Share what they find out—including potential steps to avoid or reduce impacts—at public forums and through direct outreach. 

    • Ask the community to share feedback.  

    • The Port will establish a Project Advisory Group. This group will provide recommendations on project design and environmental and socioeconomic impact mitigation efforts.

  • You can email the Port of Coos Bay, at pcipinfo@portofcoosbay.com.  

    To stay updated on other opportunities to provide feedback, please sign up for project updates. 

These are some of the questions that have been sent to the port and project team after public events

  • Shipping containers are generally owned by ocean carriers or container leasing companies. These entities manage where the equipment is located and how it is repositioned.

  • Carriers choose routes and ports based on where cargo demand and contracts are, how reliable the port is, the total cost and time, and how easy it is to connect inland by truck or rail.

  • Exporters often are dependent on having access to import containers that can be repositioned for exports back to foreign markets. They must consider where they can get empty containers, how often ships call, inland access costs, and reliable schedules. Exporters typically have lower margins and are more price sensitive regarding freight rates.

  • No. Ships discharge or load cargo based on demand and routing needs. They may leave with more, fewer, or the same number of containers.

  • Yes. The PCIP plans to deepen and widen the existing Coos Bay navigation channel to allow large container vessels (NorthPoint’s targeted size is ~13,000 TEU Neo-Panamax) to transit safely up to the terminal area.

  • No. Portland plays a specific role with a portion of the Oregon/PNW market that is accessing Portland’s Terminal 6 (T-6) by truck. Coos Bay is designed for long haul rail markets to the Midwest and not local trucking. New container gateways compete with many West Coast ports (even East Coast) by offering alternative routing options, lower congestion, and potentially different inland access advantages. Coos Bay aims to attract cargo that finds value in its routing and rail connections.

  • PCIP is designed so nearly all containers move directly by rail (ship-to-rail) with minimal trucking. The value proposition for PCIP is that it relies heavily on ocean to rail to reach major markets and relies much less on long haul trucking.

  • Terminals follow strict federal and industry procedures to manage hazardous materials safely, including segregation and emergency planning.

  •  The project has completed significant design and environmental review on the channel modification; however, design and permitting has yet to be completed on the rail and terminal portions of the project. This is the focus of federal grants that are now being finalized and will allow for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).