The Port of New Orleans continues to conduct business as usual and new forecasts since the opening of the Morganza Floodway Saturday indicate river levels in New Orleans are expected to remain steady for the next two weeks, MarineLog reported.
Since May 11, the port has handled 18 vessels, including the Norwegian Spirit and Carnival Triumph cruise ships over the weekend at its Erato Street Cruise Terminal. Also included in that number are eight container vessels and eight general cargo vessels. In all, 61 ocean going vessels have entered the Lower Mississippi River since May 11, according to the New Orleans Board of Trade.
The vessel-arrival figures continue to be strong and have surged in 2011. During the first four months of 2011, 1,857 oceangoing vessels traversed the Lower Mississippi River, up 18.3 percent, or 288 vessels, compared to the same period one year ago.