Cargo worked at the Port of New Orleans’ public docks in 2014 totaled 8.37 million tons, the highest total since 2000 and up 28 percent compared to the prior 12-month period. Imported steel and container cargo led the growth, as imported iron and steel rose 101.6 percent in the 12-month-period to 3.54 million tons. Overall breakbulk tons totaled 3.76 million tons, up 51.7 percent and container tons topped 4.61 million tons, up 13.5 percent compared to the prior year.
“New weekly services, such as CMA CGM’s Victory Bridge Service to Europe, the return of Maersk Line’s vessels, Chiquita cargo and our new Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal will
position the Port for future growth,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO.
The cargo figures come on the heels of record cruise growth, as the Port topped 1 million
passenger embarkations and disembarkations for the first time and an all-time container mark of 490,526 twenty-foot-equivalent units in 2014 and a projection of well over 500,000 TEUs for
2015.