The Port of New Orleans has handled more than a half million TEUs over the past 12 months, “another milestone that comes on the heels of four record years in a row,” according to port President and CEO Gary LaGrange.

“We anticipate continued growth in our container market, along with a robust breakbulk and project cargo market, as we recently set 14 year highs in tonnage moved over port docks,” said LaGrange during the Annual State of the Port Address hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs House Brokers Association of New Orleans.
The most recent 120-month container data through September found the Port of New Orleans handled 537,285 TEUs, a 13.6 percent increase year-over-year.

“Those figures reflect a more than doubling of container volume in the Central American trade lane through September, buoyed by banana imports and paper and chemical exports,” said the port head.

In addition, the latest breakbulk cargo data through May 2015, illustrates a more than 15 percent growth in breakbulk tons, led by an 18.7 percent increase in imported steel.
“While we expect some softening in the imported steel market this fall, we anticipate the investment boom in the chemical and petrochemical industry on the Lower Mississippi River will spur continued growth for the future,” LaGrange said.