Yara North America Inc celebrated the opening of its new NOLA Gateway Terminal in Convent, St James Parish LA, about 60 miles up the Mississippi River from New Orleans.
With its opening, the fully operational terminal will provide increased access to imported urea to agricultural markets both locally and throughout the Midwest and eastern United States via rail. The terminal will also support Yara’s growing industrial segments, including its Air1 branded diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
“Yara North America is a leading provider of urea, and our customers depend on our uninterrupted global supply chain to meet their needs. The establishment of a terminal in New Orleans, the primary import gateway of North America, is an important milestone in our distribution strategy and reaffirms our dedication to our customers to serve as a reliable partner,” said Bartolomeo Pescio, president of Yara.
The firm began construction on the 55,000-mt, state-of-the-art NOLA import fertilizer terminal and warehouse in 2008, which will be capable of accommodating bulk carrier vessels up to the Panamax size. The NOLA terminal will provide 11 permanent jobs and a number of service-related functions to benefit St James Parish. The total investment volume is approximately US $30 million.
Stueve Construction Co, a provider of construction of fertilizer storage facilities, built the terminal. St James Stevedoring Partners served as a partner throughout the process and will continue to support terminal operations.