Cargo Logistics bolsters bulk liquid transloading capacity
Cargo Logistics International recently opened an advanced rail transloading facility in Savannah GA.
The facility, developed in association with an industry leader in the handling and storage of bulk liquid products, is directly serviced by Norfolk Southern. It commenced full operations in January, the company said, and is designed for bulk liquid transloading with an emphasis on servicing the Pine Chemical Industry market.
The Pine Chemical Industry contributes to the US economy with more than $1.92 billion in shipments, while covering more than 19 states and employing more than 1,900 workers, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and American Chemistry Council. Pine Chemicals are essential components in paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants, surfactants, printing ink, and other chemical additives. The industry supports $11.2 billion in downstream economic output and more than 18,700 workers in downstream customer industries.
“The growing need in the Southeast to handle the increased volume of Pine Chemical imports and exports is the main reason we chose Savannah for our transloading facility,” said Chad Rundle, CEO of Cargo Logistics. “Our Savannah facility is equipped to handle a vast array of chemicals and bulk liquids with the utmost focus on both service and safety.”
Transloading services include railcar to flexitank, ISO tank and tanker truck, and reverse transloading, with company-owned dedicated bulk liquid chassis and trucks for haulage between transloading and the Savannah port.
The Savannah port continues to set records in growth, according to numbers released by the Ports Authority at the end of 2018. According to local industry officials, they are experiencing an increased demand for more Southeastern facilities to transload bulk liquids, mainly due to the continued expansion of the port.
Cargo Logistics’ transloading facility, located less than a mile from the port, is helping meet this demand, the company said.
“Our strategic location reduces drayage times to and from the port, along with increased efficiency in railcar turnaround time, reduces bottom-line costs for our clients,” said Kerri Kemp, Cargo Logistics’ chief operating officer.
The addition of a specialized bulk liquid rail transloading facility in Georgia is expected to contribute to further maritime growth through the Savannah area, Cargo Logistics said.
“The increased shipping challenges that exporters face today, such as driver shortages nationwide and congestion/capacity issues for liquid transloading in Houston and other Gulf ports, have made the Savannah port an ideal alternative for shippers,” Kemp said. “Due to the competitive pricing of Savannah’s rail and ocean freight services, we now have products being railed in for transloading from as far away as Canada and Texas.
“In addition, we’ve found our prompt transloading service and the varied carrier options out of the Savannah port are granting better options to shippers than previously routed cargo via the Gulf or the North East.”
Cargo Logistics’ Savannah facility features an 18-railcar capacity on site, with a holding capacity of an additional 36 railcars with Norfolk Southern, coupled with a dedicated bulk liquid truck fleet and company-owned bulk liquid chassis.
“Given the top five US Pine Chemical Facility states are Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida and Arkansas, all located in such proximity of the Savannah Port, Cargo Logistics International is proud to have chosen Savannah and the GA Port as it’s home for our chemical transloading facility,” Rundle said. “We feel our facility compliments the ongoing rail expansion efforts by the GA Ports Authority, offering additional rail transloading services for both imports and exports in an area where transloading capacity had previously reached its limits.
“Business in the southeastern states is growing and we are here to help ensure it continues.”
For more information, email [email protected] or visit cargologistics.com.