LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - April was a solid month of barge activity at thePort of Little Rock. A total of 60 barges, with over 91,500 net tons of cargo were handled. This tonnage represents the highest monthly barge count since April of 2015. Thirty-one barges, with 47,000 tons, were worked at the river dock and 29 barges, with over 44,000 tons, were worked at the slackwater harbor dock.
Logistic Services Inc. (LSI), the port’s stevedore handled a number of different commodities including; aluminum ingots, sows and tees; DAP, lightweight aggregate, nepheline syenite, potash, rock and sand, scrap, steel coils, sulfate, triple, urea, wetcake, and wire rod coils. Breakbulk cargoes made up 58% of the cargo handled, however, bulk commodities have continued to grow and have accounted for well over half of this year’s tonnage.
Through the first three months of the year, LSI has worked 80 barges with 123,000 net tons of cargo. Although the total number of barges is 18 below the number handled through the same period in 2017, LSI expects to ultimately work more barges during this calendar year.
May should be another busy month at the Port of Little Rock as LSI expects to work over 50 barges. Inbound shipments of domestic steel coils remains strong, while outbound barge loadings, led by aggregates, are well ahead of last year’s pace.
Total tonnage on the Arkansas River for the month of April was 1,188,147 tons.
“The administration continues to implement, or threaten to implement certain tariffs with our trading partners. It is important to understand that the Port of Little Rock imports steel and aluminum every month and excessive tariffs, will impact our operations,” said Bryan Day, Executive Director of the Little Rock Port Authority. “Tariffs and negative trade rhetoric will impact our ability to compete on a global stage.” continued Day.
