FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2026
Media Contact:
Kimberly Curth
(504) 388-4898
kimberly.curth@portnola.com
Port NOLA and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Partner with UTC Transoceanic to Bring AI-Powered Oversized Cargo Technology to New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, LA. — The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and the New Orleans Public Belt
Railroad (NOPB) are partnering with newly launched logistics company UTC Transoceanic to
bring advanced artificial intelligence and digital rail technology to one of the country’s most
important gateways for oversized cargo.
The partnership is designed to solve one of the biggest challenges in global logistics: moving
extremely large and heavy industrial equipment safely and efficiently through America’s rail
network.
For the maritime and logistics industries, the timing matters.
As demand surges for power infrastructure, data centers, energy projects and industrial
manufacturing across the United States, the movement of oversized cargo including massive
power transformers, wind turbine components, turbines, refinery vessels and industrial
generators is becoming more critical than ever. Much of that equipment arrives by ship from
overseas manufacturers and must then move inland by rail because highways often cannot
handle the size and weight of the cargo.
That’s where New Orleans comes in.
Port NOLA already serves as a major gateway for heavy-lift and project cargo, with direct access
to all six Class I railroads through the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. But planning these
oversized rail moves can take weeks or even months because every shipment must be carefully reviewed for bridge clearances, tunnel restrictions, track geometry and routing limitations
across multiple railroad systems.
The new partnership with UTC Transoceanic aims to dramatically simplify that process.
UTC Transoceanic is a newly formed joint venture between New Orleans-based Transoceanic,
led by maritime executive Greg Rusovich, and Houston-based global logistics company UTC
Overseas. Together, the companies are deploying patented AI-powered rail clearance
technology and a real-time digital model of the NOPB rail network using the Palantir Foundry
platform.
“This technology changes the conversation for customers moving oversized cargo,” said Beth
Branch, President and CEO of Port NOLA and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad.
“Today, planning a large industrial shipment can involve weeks of engineering studies and
coordination between multiple railroads before a customer even knows whether a route is
possible. What UTC Transoceanic is bringing to New Orleans helps provide answers almost
immediately. That’s a major advantage for shippers, manufacturers and project developers who
are making multimillion-dollar logistics decisions.”
At the center of the partnership is a new customer-facing application called TEID-RDC, which
allows shippers to enter cargo dimensions, weight and railcar specifications into a digital
platform that can quickly determine whether the cargo can move through the rail network and
recommend the best routing options.
Underneath that system is a “digital twin” of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad — essentially
a live digital replica of the railroad network that continuously tracks clearance information,
bridge ratings, crossing geometry and infrastructure conditions in real time.
For the maritime community, the impact could be significant.
The technology positions New Orleans as a smarter, more predictable gateway for project cargo
at a time when global supply chains are increasingly driven by speed, visibility and data.
Shippers moving oversized cargo often select ports based not only on waterfront capabilities,
but on how efficiently cargo can move inland once it leaves the dock.
“This is about New Orleans delivering cutting-edge logistics solutions to the global energy
sector,” said Gregory Rusovich, maritime executive and founder of Transoceanic. “Cargo
owners want certainty. They want to know early in the process whether a shipment can move,
how it can move and how quickly decisions can be made. By combining UTC Overseas’ logistics
expertise with New Orleans’ unmatched rail connectivity, UTC Transoceanic helps deliver that
certainty.”
The technology is especially relevant as the United States experiences rapid growth in data
center development and energy infrastructure construction. Large power transformers and
electrical equipment weighing hundreds of tons are increasingly moving through U.S. ports on
their way to inland destinations that rely heavily on rail transportation.
“Project cargo logistics are becoming more complex every year,” said Marco Poisler, UTC
Overseas Chief Operating Officer, Global Energy & Capital Projects. “Customers need better
information earlier in the process, and they need logistics partners who can help solve
infrastructure challenges before cargo even arrives at the port. That’s exactly what this
partnership is designed to do.”
Port NOLA officials say the partnership also supports the long-term growth of Louisiana as a
global logistics and industrial hub.
“The Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad have always played a major
role in connecting global cargo to the American interior,” said Tomeka Bryant, Chief Strategy
Officer & General Manager of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. “This partnership builds
on that legacy by bringing advanced technology and real-time infrastructure intelligence into
the process. It helps customers move cargo more efficiently while strengthening New Orleans’
position in the global supply chain.”
UTC Transoceanic is headquartered in New Orleans.
About Port NOLA:
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a modern multimodal gateway for global commerce and
an in- demand cruise port — delivering seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river,
rail and road. Port NOLA is a diverse deepwater port uniquely located on the Mississippi River
near the Gulf of Mexico -- with access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Dallas, Memphis,
Chicago and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, 6 Class I railroads and interstate roadways.
Strategic alignment with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, a Class III connecting railroad,
strengthens Port NOLA’s position as an integrated hub and supports the Port’s mission of driving
regional economic prosperity. For more information, visit: www.portnola.com.
About NOPB:
The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) is a Class III switching railroad with a mission of
serving the Port of New Orleans, local customers, and the New Orleans Rail Gateway. The NOPB
connects six Class I railroads to each other and to properties in and near the Port complex. For
more information, visit: www.railnola.com .
About UTC:
UTC Overseas is an international freight forwarder and project logistics provider headquartered
in Houston, Texas, with 52 offices worldwide. Established in 1925, UTC has a century-long record
of managing complex logistics for capital projects and global supply chains across the energy,
industrial, and infrastructure sectors. For more information, please visit: utcoverseas.com .
About Transoceanic Development LLC:
Transoceanic Development LLC is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based logistics firm specializing in
international freight forwarding. The firm is recognized for its expertise in maritime logistics,
global trade, and its deep relationships across Gulf Coast ports and project facilities.
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