FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2024

Media Contact:
Kimberly Curth
(504) 388-4898
kimberly.curth@portnola.com

New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and Heniff Transportation Systems, LLC Celebrate New $3 Million Transloading Industrial Park in New Orleans East

Enhanced rail infrastructure will be a catalyst for business growth and provide
multi-modal shipping options

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) and Heniff Transportation Systems, LLC (Heniff) announced today that they have signed an agreement for Heniff to manage rail transloading services at the newly opened New Orleans Transloading Industrial Park. This facility, located on Terminal Road in New Orleans East, will help shippers move goods more easily between trucks and trains, making it faster to transport freight to America’s heartland.

“We're excited to welcome Heniff as a new NOPB customer at our Transloading Industrial Park in New Orleans East,” said Port NOLA Acting President & CEO and Acting NOPB CEO, Ronald Wendel. “Together we will ensure products are moved more efficiently through the global supply chain while also driving economic growth in and beyond this region.”

The property, which is owned by the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA), will offer Heniff the opportunity to provide multi-modal shipping options for liquid and dry bulk products to existing customers while simultaneously opening new markets. Heniff’s transload network includes 44 locations across North America where the company handles approximately 20,000 rail cars per year. The Transloading Industrial Park complements Heniff’s existing liquid bulk service operations that are adjacent to the property.

“Together with the NOPB and Port NOLA, we’re very pleased to expand our transloading capabilities within the region,” said Bob Heniff, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Heniff Transportation Systems. “The enhanced rail infrastructure and its strategic location offers our company a true competitive edge and service enhancements for our many customers.”

The total project cost for the facility was $3 million. Funding sources included a $1.5 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Shortline Railroad Priority Program as well as a $1.5 million funding match from NOPB.

“This project completion highlights the impact of the state’s investment in the Shortline Rail Improvement Program as it is one of the original awards from the launch of the program in 2022,” said Julia Fisher-Cormier, Commissioner for LADOTD, Office of Multimodal Commerce. “The NOPB’s inland connections cannot be overstated, our state’s connectivity ensures that goods arrive at homes across the nation, businesses efficiently move their products, and that Louisiana maintains its relevance and position as an economic driver for the state and region. We look forward to providing additional funding to further solidify Port NOLA and NOPB’s vital role in the global supply chain.”

“We are proud to work with an industry leader like Heniff as we grow our network,” said NOPB General Manager Tomeka Watson Bryant. “Multi-modal infrastructure improvements like the NOPB Transloading Industrial Park not only allow us to move freight more efficiently through our global gateway, it also helps us grow the economy and bring more jobs to the region.”

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About NOPB:

The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) is a Class III switching railroad with a mission of serving the Port of New Orleans, local customers, and the New Orleans Rail Gateway. The NOPB connects six Class I railroads to each other and to properties in and near the Port complex. For more information, visit: www.railnola.com.

About Port NOLA:

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a modern multimodal gateway for global commerce and an in-demand cruise port — delivering seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river, rail, and road. Port NOLA is a diverse deep-water port uniquely located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico -- with access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, 6 Class I railroads and interstate roadways. Strategic alignment with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, a Class III connecting railroad, strengthens Port NOLA’s position as an integrated hub and supports the Port’s mission of driving regional economic prosperity.

About Heniff Transportation Systems, LLC:

Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the Heniff family of companies is North America’s premier leader in liquid bulk transportation services. We operate approximately 2,000 tractors and 5,700 trailers through our network of over 100 locations with expertise in chemical transport, food-grade transport, rail transloading, ISO depot operations, equipment maintenance, tank cleaning services, and third-party logistics. Our mission is to provide efficient supply chain solutions to our chemical and food grade customers in the safest, most responsible manner. From our high-tech tracking and state-of-the-art technology systems to our professional drivers and responsive customer service team, everything we do is focused on providing effective solutions to our customers' complex supply chain challenges. For more information about our Company and its integrated services, please visit www.heniff.com.