“With its proximity to the center of the U.S. via a 14,500-mile inland waterway system, six Class 1 railroads and a nexus of interstate highways, New Orleans is the port of choice for the movement of everything from steel, rubber and manufactured goods to commodities like coffee,” said Jack Rogers, Editor-in-Chief of Business Facilities.
Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange said the ranking is appreciated, but not surprising.
“It is an honor to be recognized by a respected economic development publication such as Business Facilities,” LaGrange said. “However, the Port’s superior connectivity is no secret to shippers and our customers worldwide.”
The magazine cited more than $100 million in recent investments the Port has made to expand container operations, cold storage facilities and marshaling yards. Also, recent legislation signed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal aimed at attracting private investment in port infrastructure and incentivizing new cargo was a focus of the ranking.
“We’re impressed with the state’s commitment to its premier port,” Rogers said, noting Louisiana recently modified its tax incentives to expand coverage to include warehousing and storage, port operations, marine cargo handling, shipbuilding and repair, and oil and gas activities.
Further strengthening the Port’s intermodal operations, officials are currently in the engineering phase for the new Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal, which will enhance rail efficiency and capacity within the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. Construction on the $26 million project is expected to begin by the end of 2013 and take 12 months to complete.
“We’ve grown our container volumes significantly over the past few years by focusing on the needs of the shippers and by making smart investments in our capacity,” LaGrange said. “We are proud of what we have accomplished, but we understand there is a lot of work to do to continue to stay ahead of market demands.”