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Container traffic

We are playing a  major role in the development and growth of container traffic in New Orleans.  The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad moves containers, with daily on-dock service to a facility at the Port of New Orleans.  Customers include all container lines calling the Port as well as companies with special contracts that handle their own inland freight.  Service is provided in conjunction with Canadian National Railway IMX, and connects New Orleans with every intermodal facility on CN's 19,000-mile network.  CN offers transit times of 12 hours to Memphis and 29 hours to Chicago, the fastest service to these markets from any deep-water port in North America. 

Why On-Dock Rail?

• Saves money. Cheaper than truck dray from port to local New Orleans ramps
  
• Truck: driver shortages, volatile fuel prices, cannot move high volumes at once
• More terminal throughput
• Move to/from Canada containers exceeding US highway weight limits 

On-Dock Rail Growth Potential

• New Orleans on-dock rail and container facilities are congestion-free 
• Merge off-dock rail ramps into on-dock facility, expanding "port-to-market" services to other cities and markets such as i.e. Atlanta, Dallas, and Kansas City

New On-Dock Rail Facility

Adjacent to Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal and Cotton Warehouse Yard (NOPB's main switching yard)

• 26 acre facility
• 4 tracks for loading/offloading - 6,800 feet
• 4 storage tracks - 5,600 feet
• Switched 7 days/week, 24 hours/day
• Connection to BNSF, CN, CSXT, KCS, NS, UP
• Operated jointly by stevedores Ceres Gulf, Inc. and P&O Ports Louisiana, Inc.