The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) recorded an impressive 20,500 container moves by barge in 2023, marking the highest number since the service was launched in 2016.
The container-on-barge service, run in partnership with the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and Ingram Marine Group, represents the largest container-on-barge network in the United States. The service has been averaging 30,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per year between New Orleans, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Memphis, and St. Louis. The service, which also helps to reduce air emissions by moving containers on water, resulted in a reduction of over 1.3 million kg of CO2 emissions and saved more than 130,000 gallons of diesel fuel in 2023.
Port NOLA President & CEO, Brandy D. Christian, said that the service is set for further expansion in the coming years. “This is one more example of Port NOLA working alongside our partners to provide innovative solutions for global supply chain disruptions while simultaneously honoring a commitment to sustainability,” he said.
The Ports of New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, along with Ingram Marine Group, have praised the growth of their container-on-barge service.
“We are proud to be a part of the thriving maritime economy of the Port of New Orleans, which includes a growing container-on-barge system,” said Ingram Marine Group President and CEO John Roberts.
The Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), Port NOLA’s downriver container terminal, is also set to provide container-on-barge services, with a dedicated berth space designed for specifically for this service. LIT is currently in the design and permitting phase. .
Earlier this year, Port NOLA received an additional $226 million in federal grant dollars to assist in building the Louisiana International Terminal. With an additional $73 million awarded through the MEGA Grant program, the total federal grant dollars for the first construction phase of the $1.8 billion container terminal is now $300 million.
New Jersey-based Ports America and Geneva, Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company, through Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), have also committed $800 million toward the project. Construction is slated to begin in 2025, with the first berth scheduled to open in 2028.
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