1. On June 17, 2015, CN signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Port of New Orleans that
will see the parties develop greater supply chain efficiencies aimed at drawing more container traffic over
the port to North American markets.
We and our Port of New Orleans gateway partners
have a mutual interest in ensuring a more competitive
rail movement of containerized goods through the
gateway and into the Midwest and mid-continent.
JJ Ruest, Executive Vice-President & CMO, CN
Gary LaGrange, president and chief executive officer of the Port of New Orleans, said: “We are pleased
to build upon our long-standing relationship with CN. This MOU reflects a genuine interest in mutually
developing better service that will help us capture greater market share and optimize throughput, with the
ultimate goal of providing the best service possible to our customers.”
The Port of New Orleans has an intermodal rail terminal adjacent to its Napoleon Avenue Container
Terminal providing on-dock access for all rail shipments. The new Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal
is now under construction. The US$25-million project, when completed in the first quarter of 2016, will
result in a modern, efficient intermodal container transfer terminal located within the container yard, offering
on‑dock access and improving CN’s link to the terminal and helping grow its container volumes.
The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPBR), a switching railroad with the primary mission of serving the
Port of New Orleans and local industries, also signed the CN-Port of New Orleans MOU.
Jeff Davis, general manager and chief executive officer of the NOPBR, said: “The New Orleans Public Belt
is excited about the efficiency gains that the new intermodal yard will provide. New Orleans is a natural
intermodal gateway and we look forward to growing business with CN.”
CN’s Port of New Orleans MOU follows the recent signing of a similar agreement with the Alabama State
Port Authority, which owns the public terminals at the Port of Mobile, and reflects the railway’s continued
focus on developing highly efficient Gulf of Mexico gateways for international trade.
Ruest concluded: “The expanded Panama Canal is expected to offer greater freight traffic opportunities
to the ports of New Orleans and Mobile. Our plan to implement level-of-service agreements at these two
ports and raise their involvement in rail transportation should help them take advantage of rising container
trade with Asia and South America.”
CN
Port of New Orleans
and the
www.cn.ca @shipCN
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