The following is the text of a press release issued by the Port of New Orleans:
(NEW ORLEANS) — All terminals and gatehouses within the Port of New Orleans are operating on normal schedules as of today, following disruptions caused by Hurricane Isaac.
Since the River fully reopened Sept. 1, Port of New Orleans terminal operators worked a total of 19 ships, including nine container vessels, five break-bulk cargo vessels, three cruise ship calls and two refrigerated cargo vessels. Six additional vessels – two container ships and four break-bulk vessels – are set to arrive by noon tomorrow.
“Due to the diligence of the Port’s ship berthing department managed by Jimmy Hankins, we’ve been able to efficiently work through the backlog of vessels Hurricane Isaac caused,” said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “During the entire duration of the four-day River closure, only two vessels bound for the Port of New Orleans cancelled their calls here.”
LaGrange cited terminal operators Ports America, New Orleans Terminal, Pacorini Global, Coastal Cargo Company, Empire Stevedoring and New Orleans Cold Storage for their efforts to ensure commerce returned to the Port’s docks as soon as the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the River.
“The entire maritime community from Baton Rouge to the mouth of the Mississippi River is to be commended for a job well done,” LaGrange said. “While each storm is different, preparedness and recovery plans in place worked well and we applaud all agencies involved, including the Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Associated Branch Pilots, Crescent River Port Pilots and the New Orleans-Baton Rouge River Pilots.”