The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) and Heniff Transportation Systems, LLC (Heniff) has announced 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.”