Port has third best month ever

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Port of Little Rock and its stevedore Logistic Services, Inc. worked the third largest number of barges in a single month. A total of 70 barges, including 41 barges were worked at the slackwater dock and 29 were worked at the main river dock, carried more than 106,000 net tons of cargo. Break-bulk cargoes, led by steel coils, accounted for 73,000 tons across 49 barges while 21 barges were worked with 33,000 tons of bulk cargo.

Commodities handled during June included aluminum ingots, sows and tees, lightweight aggregate, nepheline syenite, potash, scrap, steel coils, urea, wetcake and wire rod coils.

Year-to-date dock activity at the port is well ahead of last year by nearly 32 percent. Terminal operations included 47 railcars. Outside storage added more than 10,000 tons of new material and 4,000 tons were shipped out. Truck traffic was extremely heavy during the month of June with more than 4,500 trucks that support the barge and terminal operations.

“July looks to be very busy as well with anticipated barge activity to be between 55 and 60 barges,” said Bryan Day, executive director of the Little Rock Port Authority. Day Continued, “LRPA expects barge traffic to be consistent at this level for the next few months. The 2018 calendar year is currently projected to be one of the top tonnage years in port history.”