Hurricane Ida Disrupts US Gulf Logistics

Coal, Grain

Hurricane Ida has caused damage and cut power to key logistics infrastructure in New Orleans and the surrounding Mississippi area, with uncertainty regarding the extent of disruption and timeframe for repairs, industry sources report.

While the hurricane damaged at least two key grain export elevators, power outages have caused more grain facilities to stop operations, with estimates as to when power will be fully restored ranging from two to four weeks. This has led to the inability to load ships and could see exports, particularly soyabeans, redirected to the Houston area.

Refinery outages and the temporary halt of at least four export terminals (Burnside Terminal, Convent Marine Terminal, International Marine Terminal and United Bulk Terminal) will likely impact coal and petcoke shipments from the region. Again, the restoration of power supplies is key to the resumption of normal exports.

Fallen power lines blocking the Mississippi river channel are expected to be removed in the next 48 hours although, other limits on navigation may remain.