Good news for U.S. grain exporters and storm relief managers: The Port of New Orleans is getting back on its feet after suffering a knock-out punch from Hurricane Katrina.
The Mississippi River has been re-opened to ships and barges — one direction at a time — during daylight hours, re-establishing the port as a collection point for New Orleans reconstruction efforts and, eventually, export moves. More than half of U.S. grain exports are handled by the port.
To restore operations, the port will need to repair gantry cranes, re-establish electrical power, extinguish warehouse fires, reorganize dozens of containers that were tossed around by the storm and rebuild its workforce. Port officials have asked the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration to provide several ships with the capacity to temporarily house 1,000 people, who would operate the port. Many port workers lost homes or are dealing with damaged houses.
“In the next several weeks, almost all of the port will be dedicated to military relief vessels,” said port President and Chief Executive Officer Gary LaGrange in a prepared statement. “In the next week to two weeks, commercial vessels will return once electrical power and manpower arrive.”
Source: Progressive Railroading Daily News
