Unprecedented cargo spillovers from the container market are a key driver of bulk activity in New Orleans in 2022. As shippers are looking for creative ways to alleviate supply chain problems, many choose to ship their goods as bulk cargo rather than containers.
While bulk volumes are expected to slow after the 2022 boom, project cargo prospects for the Port of New Orleans are brighter, driven by several large industrial projects that will be added this year.
the end of December, New Orleans, the southern port of Louisiana, announced a historic public-private partnership with Louisiana, port operators Port America (American Port Group) and MSC (Mediterranean Shipping), deciding to build a large container terminal in the profitable town of Violet, about 11 miles from downtown New Orleans. At the same time, according to industry insiders, a new terminal plan for the Port of Plaquemines, also located on the Mississippi River, is scheduled to begin operations after the Port of New Orleans container terminal project.
as all of these projects rise along the Mississippi River and along the Louisiana coast, project cargo traffic at the Port of New Orleans is expected to pick up.
the increase in New Orleans project cargo will mark a turnaround from last year, when the sector's year-on-year volume fell sharply, by 50 percent to just over 25,000 tons, according to port data.
expects cargo for two major projects to move in 2023: Venture Global LNG is developing a $0.2 billion LNG export facility in Plaquemines Parish, about 13 miles south of New Orleans, and Kindle Energy plans to begin construction of a $2.074 billion Magnolia Power renewable energy plant south of Plaquemines.
Although the port is ready to handle more project cargo, Gibson expects the grocery market to be slightly weaker this year than in 2021 and 2022. "We are optimistic that the recession will not be a sharp reversal or a cliff fall from the lowest years, but we do expect it to still slow down a bit," he said.
Bulk volumes jumped 2 per cent to 30000 short tonnes in 20, driven by increased shipments of steel, natural rubber and plywood, compared with just under 20.22 million short tonnes the year before, according to ports. The port's grocery figures include project goods, steel, plywood, natural rubber and various bagged goods.
"We're about to have a banner year for bulk groceries. I think it's based on this pent-up demand for COVID and (on) the pandemic tapering off, "Gibson said.
Forwardernet.com