Napoleon News

We think of Bermuda as a tiny paradise in the North Atlantic. But long before cruise ships moored up, prison ships carried hundreds of convicts to the island, first docking in 1824 and remaining there for decades.Islands have long been places to deport, exile and banish criminals. Think of Alcatraz, the infamous penitentiary in San Francisco, or Robben Island in South Africa, which held Nelson Mandela. The French penal colony Devil’s Island was immortalised in the Steve McQueen film Papillon…

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) said 2023 was a record year for container-on-barge shipping.During the last calendar year, Port NOLA marked 20,500 container moves by barge, the highest since launching the container-on-barge network—the nation's largest—in 2016 with the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and Ingram Marine Group. Container-on-barge moves containers by water rather than by truck on roads to reduce air emissions; moving an average of 30,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) per year between New Orleans, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Memphis and St. Louis.

Severe, unforecasted winds caused a containership to breakaway from a pier and damaged equipment at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal in New Orleans on Aug. 2, 2020, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.As longshoremen loaded and unloaded cargo from containership CMA CGM Bianca a sudden, localized thunderstorm passed through the area. Ten of the vessel’s 16 mooring lines parted in the high winds, and the ship moved away from the pier. Containers lifted by shoreside gantry cranes struck the ship. One damaged container dropped in the water spilling a cargo of plastic pellets, known as nurdles. A crane operator suffered a minor injury.

Container vessel operations resumed at the Port of New Orleans on Tuesday, nine days after Hurricane Ida made landfall in southeast Louisiana as a category 4 storm.The first two ships worked at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal were the MSC Charleston at New Orleans Terminal and the Hapag Lloyd CSL Manhattan at Ports America. Seacor’s container on barge service will be worked tonight by Ports America.“Our wharves are busy today, handling both container and breakbulk cargo vessels, and trains are moving,” said Brandy D.

Louisiana’s only international container port Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) moved more containers in 2019 than at any time in its history, totaling 648,538 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 10% compared to one year ago.The multimodal gateway for global trade said in a press release that the record marks the sixth consecutive year the Port surpassed the half million TEU-mark at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal, which is operated by New Orleans Terminal and Ports America.“Port NOLA has now seen double-digit growth in total container volumes for two consecutive years, primarily driven by the Panama Canal expansion, exports from Louisiana’s booming petrochemical industry and a growing market for imports,” said Brandy D.

New Cranes Allow Port NOLA to Accommodate Larger Ships and Meet Growing Needs. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) have voted to approve the purchase of two new 100-foot gauge container gantry cranes to be used at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. “These new cranes are vital to our success and growth here at Port NOLA,” said President and CEO Brandy D. Christian. “They will increase our efficiency so we can accommodate larger and wider ships…

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) moved more containers in 2018 than at any time in its history, totaling 591,253 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 12.3 percent compared to one year ago.The deep-draft multipurpose port at the center of the world's busiest port system -- Louisiana's Lower Mississippi River said in a press release that the record marks the fifth year in a row Port NOLA has surpassed the half million TEU-mark at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal, which is operated by New Orleans Terminal and Ports America.“The expansion of the Panama Canal and growth in containerized exports, namely resin and frozen poultry, have buoyed Port NOLA’s containerized cargo to record levels.

The RMS St. Helena, Britain’s last working postal ship, was for nearly three decades the main source of contact between one of humanity’s remotest islands and the outside world.Now the ship, cherished by the 4,500 residents of British-ruled St. Helena, will start a new life as a floating armory, packed with automatic weapons, bullet-proof jackets and night vision goggles, all stored for maritime security operatives.Renamed the MNG Tahiti, the 340-foot ship will undergo some tweaks before sailing to the Gulf of Oman where it will be used to ferry guns and guards to passing vessels navigating stretches of water lurking with pirates, its new operator said on Tuesday.“The ship is good to go with a few adjustments…

A new tug  built by Signet Shipbuilding and Repair was delivered to E.N. Bisso & Son Inc. in mid-December. The vessel, Gladys B, is Robert Allan Ltd.’s newest RApport 2400 class tugboat design. “She is named for the wife of the founder of the company in 1946, Captain Edwin Napoleon Bisso. This powerful steel titan will serve her owner well. Built in America, built by Americans and built for progress. She will soon be known in Louisiana as the Maserati of the River,” said Signet President, J. Barry Snyder.

France-based CMA CGM today announced a new direct weekly container service to Asia from the Port of New Orleans Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. Part of the company’s PEX3 service, the inaugural vessel is scheduled to arrive on January 31 for service by terminal operator Ports America. “CMA CGM is proud to be expanding our presence in New Orleans, further showing our commitment to the Gulf region, and Louisiana specifically. We look forward to continued growth in the region, and are pleased to be contributing to the evolution and development of this vital hub. In the U.S., the Group now offers a global coverage with 23 services in and out of North America to over 150 countries around the world,” said Marc Bourdon, CMA CGM America LLC President.

On the morning of October 12, 2016, E.N. Bisso and Signet Shipbuilding & Repair (SS&R) Pascagoula, Miss., christened and launched E.N. Bisso’s newest high technology Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL) design tug. Mrs. Deborah F. McDonald, wife of Mr. William H. McDonald, President, E.N. Bisso, New Orleans, Louisiana, was the Christening Sponsor. The GLADYS B, SS&R Hull 109 was launched immediately following the ceremony, and will be delivered on-time and on-budget December 12, 2016. This ASD tug is the fourth RAL design vessel constructed by SS&R, with two new build contracts currently under negotiation.

The world’s third largest container shipping company initiated a new direct service from the Port of New Orleans to the west coast of South America this week. Marseille, France-based CMA CGM launched its Med Americas service with the arrival over the weekend of the container ship Pomerenia Sky at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. The new service is wholly-operated by CMA CGM vessels and will offer weekly and direct service to San Antonio, Chile; Callao, Peru; and Buenaventura, Columbia.

More containers moved through the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal at the Port of New Orleans in March and April 2016 than in any two months in the port’s history. According to figures released this week, 50,974 twenty-foot-equivalent units moved through the Terminal in April, besting the previous monthly record of 48,594 TEUs in March of 2016. The two-month total of 99,568 TEUs is up 6.1 percent, compared to same two months in 2015. Surging container volumes come on the heels of higher overall cargo volumes in 2015.

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans joined a host of elected officials and industry partners today to dedicate the Port’s new $25 million Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal. The terminal, made possible by a $16.7 million federal transportation TIGER grant, has a capacity of moving 160,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) per year by rail. “This new terminal provides a highly efficient option for our customers moving cargo via rail,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant provided about 68 percent of the total funding for the terminal.

MPI Workboats has been awarded two long-term contracts with Statoil on the Dudgeon Offshore Windfarm. MPI Napoleon and MPI Snowball will provide crew-transfer support, with the first vessel having commenced her 18-month contract earlier this month. The second vessel will start a three-year contact later in 2016. The Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm is a GBP 1.5 billion project that will harness offshore wind to power more than 410,000 U.K. homes. This 402MW offshore wind farm, to be located some 20 miles off the North Norfolk coast…

In 1812, Russia beat back the advance of Napoleon’s army. On 18 December 2015 there is a similar tone of seasonal retreat, with most hopes pinned on the New Year. Shame there’s no-one around to write a symphony about it. At this stage the status quo in the freight market looks set to continue into Christmas with the capesize index down 23% on the week as it continues to suffer from excess capacity and a China slowdown. On the upside, observers have predicted an end to iron ore’s relentless decline, with Credit Suisse suggesting that seasonal demand could tighten in the first half of 2016 and push prices back to $50 by Q2. A cyclical…

The Port of New Orleans and CN signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see the parties develop greater supply chain efficiencies aimed at drawing more container traffic through the Port to North American markets. “We and our Port of New Orleans gateway partners have a mutual interest in ensuring the competitive and efficient movement of container goods through the gateway and growing its market share,” said JJ Ruest, CN’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Maersk Kotka called the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal on February 9, signalling Maersk Line’s return of vessel service to the Port of New Orleans. The weekly Northern European service is teamed with a weekly Mediterranean service through the 2M Alliance Maersk formed with Mediterranean Shipping Company. Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company are the largest- and second-largest container carriers in the world. At 7,400-TEU, Maersk Kotka is the largest ship in the seven-vessel service.

The Port of New Orleans achieved record container volumes in 2014 thanks in part to the addition of new shipping services and an uptick in the national economy contributed. According to year-end totals, 490,526 twenty-foot-equivalent units moved through the Port’s Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal during the 12 months, an 8.8 percent increase over the 2013 total of 451,057. “Strong export markets, primarily for chemical and agriculture products, together with new inbound customers such as Chiquita contributed to record container volumes,” said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange.

Shippers will soon have new direct weekly options to Europe from the Port of New Orleans. CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container carrier, will add the Port of New Orleans to its Victory Bridge Service. The service is scheduled to launch February 2 with the arrival of the CMA CGM Jamaica at the port’s Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. “We are thrilled to have France-based CMA CGM add the Port of New Orleans to their Victory Bridge Service,” said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange.

Economic development wins, new services and expanded agreements have resulted in record operating revenues and strong, double-digit cargo growth in 2014, Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange said during the annual State of the Port Address hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans today. “Through a lot of hard work by your Port and with the help of Louisiana Economic Development under the guidance of Secretary Stephen Moret and many of our economic development partners…

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans awarded a $13.3 million construction contract to Metairie, La.-based Hard Rock Construction LLC today for the Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal improvement project at its monthly meeting. Hard Rock Construction was the lowest of eight bidders. The 12-acre project will result in a modern and efficient intermodal container transfer terminal to facilitate the movement of marine and rail cargo, while enhancing safety and reducing the carbon footprint of the regional and national transportation system.

Egypt said on Tuesday it plans to build a new Suez Canal alongside the existing 145-year-old historic waterway in a multi-billion dollar project aimed at expanding trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia. The first canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas via the Nile River was dug in 1874 B.C. during the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh Senausret III. It was abandoned and reopened several times over the subsequent 2,500 years. Pharonic inscriptions showed that Egyptians used the canals to move warships, send pilgrimages to the Holy Land and transport grain and stones used in ancient monuments. Napoleon sought to build a modern canal in order to undermine Britain's control of trading routes to Asia…