Cargo Tonnage At Port Of Little Rock Rises In First Quarter Of 2019
The Little Rock (Ark.) Port Authority released figures April 17 showing that the port and its stevedore, LSI, worked 52 barges and handled just under 79,000 net tons across the docks in the year’s first quarter. This was up significantly from the same period last year when 27 barges with 41,000 tons were worked.
Through the first three months of 2019, the docks have seen a year-to-year increase of 58 barges (138 in 2019 versus 80 in 2018)—a 72.5 percent increase in activity—while the 209,000 year-to-date tonnage is up 70 percent year-to-year, with over 86,000 additional tons handled.
The port railroad posted a strong first quarter; approximately 25 percent above the projected budget. As part of the TIGER Grant project, new rail allowed trains to be delivered and offloaded on one track, while the outbound empties were staged and readied for release on the new track. The operation is now easier, faster and more efficient, port officials said.
Commodities handled during March included aluminum ingots, DAP, nepheline syenite, potash, rock and sand, scrap, steel coils, wetcake and wire rod coils.
The docks remain busy with significant work scheduled. Terminal activity was busy, with continued heavy truck traffic and 44 railcars worked. In addition to the cars received for packaging, transloading from truck to rail was “very strong,” the port said, with 29 bulk cars loaded. The port also loaded out and received in several cars of dimensional lumber.
Port officials said that activity across the terminal “looks to remain very busy in April and warehouse operations continue to be strong as well.”
“Port activity remains strong as we start our 60th year” said Bryan Day, LRPA executive director. “We expect to see continued growth in both river and rail operations.”
Established in 1959, the Port of Little Rock features a 2,640-acre industrial park, two full-service river terminals, its own switching railroad and a slackwater harbor on the 448-mile McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.
