Avondale Heliport

Economic reasons, directly linked to the closure of the Avondale Shipyard. The heliport was a private, ancillary facility that supported the shipyard's operations. In 2010, its parent company, Huntington Ingalls Industries (formerly Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding), announced the decision to close the shipyard to consolidate its shipbuilding operations in Mississippi. Shipbuilding activities ceased around 2014, and with the closure of the main industrial site, the supporting heliport no longer had a purpose and was decommissioned.

The site of the former heliport is now part of the 'Avondale Global Gateway.' After the shipyard's closure, the entire 254-acre property was acquired by the Port of New Orleans and is being redeveloped by the logistics and terminal operator T. Parker Host. The goal is to transform the former shipyard into a state-of-the-art, multimodal logistics hub focused on container, bulk, and breakbulk cargo. While satellite imagery may still show the faint markings of the helipad on a concrete slab near the Mississippi River, the area has been absorbed into the larger redevelopment site and is used for staging, storage, and other industrial activities related to the new logistics hub. The heliport is completely non-operational.

The Avondale Heliport was an integral part of the Avondale Shipyard, which was historically one of the most significant industrial sites in the Gulf South and the largest employer in Louisiana for many years. The heliport's primary role was logistical support for this massive operation. It was used for the rapid transport of executives, engineers, specialized technicians, and high-priority parts between the shipyard, corporate offices, and other facilities. Crucially, it also served as a vital link to the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico, facilitating travel to and from the offshore platforms and vessels that Avondale often built and serviced. The heliport enhanced the operational efficiency of a shipyard that constructed a wide range of commercial and military vessels, including many for the U.S. Navy.

There are no known plans to reopen the Avondale Heliport. The master plan for the Avondale Global Gateway is focused on developing maritime, rail, and road logistics capabilities. While it is conceivable that a future tenant of the redeveloped industrial park could establish a new private heliport for its own needs, the reopening of the original facility (US-10724) is not part of the current redevelopment strategy. Therefore, the prospects for its reopening are considered nonexistent.