Gulf Trade: Top Carriers and Ports

Special Report

The US Gulf Coast accounts for 56 % of US permit applications for underground carbon injection wells. Sarens

Construction is slated to begin on the facility by late 2026, starting with a $ 457 million plant that will be Heirloom’ s first DAC facility in Louisiana and its second in North America.

The second facility under design is part of Project Cypress, a public-private development that would create one of Louisiana’ s largest DAC hubs. Project Cypress is pursuing up to $ 600 million in federal funds and will consist of Heirloom’ s plant in Caddo Parish and a southwest Louisiana DAC facility being developed by DAC technology developer Climeworks.

Sizeable cargo demands

Cargo considerations for CCS projects are significant, often involving superload shipments that require extensive permitting and resources.

Paul Betts, project manager for heavy-haul transport

Port Mobile building two inland rail hubs amid Gulf intermodal growth

The on-dock ICTF at the Port of Mobile( pictured) opened in 2016. APM Terminals

By JOC Staff

New inland rail terminals in Alabama opening in the next few years will add to growing efforts by US Gulf Coast ports to capitalize on and accelerate international intermodal growth that has outpaced competing gateways on the East and West coasts, albeit from a smaller base.

Historically, most containerized imports flowing through the Gulf Coast have been trucked to local markets in the southeastern US, with intermodal hubs like Chicago served primarily by ports on the West and East coasts.

“ The Montgomery ICTF is a gamechanger for freight movement in Alabama and beyond.”

A lack of on-dock infrastructure and regular rail service at Gulf Coast ports stymied potential volume growth, but railroads and port authorities were hesitant to invest in intermodal assets with no guarantees that volumes would materialize.

Over the last few years, however, that’ s begun to change. Union Pacific and BNSF Railroad have launched services from Port Houston’ s Barbours Cut terminal to Dallas, El

Paso, Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Memphis, and Kansas City, Missouri; while Canadian National Railway offers direct service from Mobile’ s on-dock rail facility and the Port of New Orleans to Memphis and Chicago.

The Alabama Port Authority began construction in late February on the Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility( ICTF), which will have an annual throughput capacity of 60,000 TEUs when it opens in 2027. Located roughly 170 miles northeast of Mobile and served by CSX Transportation, the Montgomery ICTF will also have direct access to Interstate 85 and Highway 31.

“ The Montgomery ICTF is a game-changer for freight movement in Alabama and beyond,” Alabama Port

42 Journal of Commerce | April 7, 2025 www. joc. com