Port NOLA’s container-on-barge service significantly reduces CO2 emissions

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) reported a record-breaking 20,500 container moves by barge in 2023 – the highest number since the service’s inception in 2016 in collaboration with the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and the Ingram Marine Group.

Now the largest container-on-barge network in the U.S., the partnership connects New Orleans, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Memphis, and St. Louis.

The initiative significantly reduces air emissions by moving an average of 30,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually on barges instead of trucks. It has already slashed more than 1,300 metric tons (1.3 million kilograms) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and saved more than 130,000 gallons (492,103 litres) of diesel fuel in 2023 alone, contributing to a cumulative reduction exceeding 10,400 mt (10.4 million kg) since 2016.

Brandy D. Christian, Port NOLA’s president & CEO, shared her enthusiasm for expanding the service in the years ahead, emphasizing the port's commitment to sustainability and innovative supply chain solutions.

Looking ahead, Port NOLA's Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), currently in the design and permitting phase, aims to further bolster container-on-barge services with dedicated berth space, alongside cutting-edge green technologies such as shore power and electrified equipment fleets. Federal support totaling $300 million to support the construction of the $1.8 billion container terminal, alongside private industry commitments, underscores the project's significance in driving economic growth and job creation.

Construction of the LIT is scheduled to commence in 2025, with the first berth set to open in 2028.