Saturday, August 10, 2024 Port of New Orleans and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad report significant growth in intermodal rail and container volumes, driving economic prosperity in the region. The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) today shared updates on two key infrastructure projects that are underway: the development of the Transloading Industrial Park and the expansion of Claiborne Yard. Located off Jourdan Road in the eastern part of New Orleans, the NOPB Transloading Industrial Park is designed to streamline the transfer of freight between rail and road vehicles, facilitating smoother cargo movement into the central United States.
Owned by the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA), this facility aims to enhance shipping efficiency and affordability, thereby driving economic expansion and opening new markets. In a recent development, the NOPB Board of Commissioners finalized a construction agreement with Cycle Construction Company LLC, valued at $2.2 million, to build the transload yard.
Construction kicked off in April and has swiftly moved forward, now nearing completion with over 85% of the work done. The project is on schedule to wrap up in August, providing capacity to handle up to 21 railcars. “We are laser focused on growing the economy and bringing even more jobs to our region,” said Acting Port NOLA President & CEO and Acting NOPB CEO, Ronald Wendel.
“Infrastructure investments like this allow us to do just that while also moving products more efficiently through the global supply chain.” The entire initiative is budgeted at $3 million, with financial support split equally between a $1.5 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) through its Shortline Railroad Priority Program and a matching $1.
5 million from NOPB. Additionally, the U.S.
Department of Transportation contributed significantly by awarding NOPB a $7.29 million grant in 2020. This funding, part of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant, is allocated for enlarging the railyard space and integrating automated switching technology.
The final component of the project involves expanding the Claiborne Yard located near the St. Claude area. This expansion includes the addition of four extra storage tracks and improved infrastructure to enhance train operations and transloading capabilities for both new and existing customers.
Construction for this phase commenced in April and is expected to conclude later this month. “We are proud to offer our customers and rail partners a competitive edge,” said NOPB General Manager Tomeka Watson Bryant. “TheNOPB Transloading Industrial Park and the Claiborne Yard expansion are examples of how we are growing our network and allowing new and current operators to enter or expand in the New Orleans market.
” In June, the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) reported significant increases in intermodal rail volumes, marking a period of robust double-digit growth. This surge is a testament to the port’s expanding intermodal services and its effective connections both domestically and globally, ensuring timely delivery of goods nationwide, facilitating seamless product transportation for businesses, and fostering economic growth and job creation throughout the state and region. Furthermore, in May, Port NOLA achieved a milestone in container traffic, recording a total of 133,845 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) during the third quarter of fiscal year 2024.
This represents a 19% increase compared to the same period last year, setting a new quarterly record for container volume that had not been reached since the supply chain disruptions in 2021..
