New partnership brings digital rail clearance technology and real-time infrastructure intelligence to one of the nation’s leading heavy-lift cargo gateways
NEW ORLEANS, La. (June 2, 2026) — 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 introduce advanced artificial intelligence and digital rail technology to one of the nation’s most important gateways for oversized and heavy-lift cargo.
The partnership is designed to address one of the most complex challenges in global logistics: safely and efficiently moving extremely large and heavy industrial equipment through the U.S. rail network.
As demand accelerates for power infrastructure, data centers, energy projects and industrial manufacturing across the United States, the movement of oversized cargo has become increasingly critical. Large power transformers, wind turbine components, turbines, refinery vessels, industrial generators and other heavy equipment often arrive by vessel from overseas manufacturers and must then move inland by rail because highways cannot always accommodate the cargo’s size or weight.
Port NOLA is already a major gateway for heavy-lift and project cargo, offering direct access to all six Class I railroads through the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. However, planning oversized rail moves can take weeks or months because each shipment must be reviewed for bridge clearances, tunnel restrictions, track geometry, railcar specifications and routing limitations across multiple railroad systems.
Through its partnership with UTC Transoceanic, Port NOLA and NOPB aim to streamline that process and strengthen New Orleans’ position as a leading project cargo logistics hub.
“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.”
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. The company is deploying patented AI-powered rail clearance technology and a real-time digital model of the NOPB rail network using the Palantir Foundry platform.
At the center of the partnership is a customer-facing application called TEID-RDC, which allows shippers to enter cargo dimensions, weight and railcar specifications into a digital platform. The system can quickly determine whether the cargo can move through the rail network and recommend optimal routing options.
Supporting the application is a digital twin of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. The live digital replica continuously tracks clearance data, bridge ratings, crossing geometry and infrastructure conditions, giving customers and logistics partners faster access to critical routing information.
For the maritime and logistics industries, 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 evaluate ports not only on waterfront capabilities, but also 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, energy infrastructure construction and industrial expansion. Large transformers and electrical equipment weighing hundreds of tons are increasingly moving through U.S. ports to inland destinations that depend on rail transportation.
“Project cargo logistics are becoming more complex every year,” said Marco Poisler, Chief Operating Officer, Global Energy & Capital Projects at UTC Overseas. “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 said 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 and 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 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 located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico, with access to more than 30 major inland hubs, including Dallas, Memphis, Chicago and Canada, through 14,500 miles of waterways, six Class I railroads and interstate roadways. Strategic alignment with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad strengthens Port NOLA’s position as an integrated hub and supports its mission of driving regional economic prosperity. For more information, visit www.portnola.com.
About New Orleans Public Belt Railroad
The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad is a Class III switching railroad serving the Port of New Orleans, local customers and the New Orleans Rail Gateway. 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 Overseas
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, visit www.utcoverseas.com.
About Transoceanic Development LLC
Transoceanic Development LLC is a New Orleans-based logistics firm specializing in international freight forwarding. The firm is recognized for its expertise in maritime logistics, global trade and deep relationships across Gulf Coast ports and project facilities.
Media Contact:
Kimberly Curth
Port of New Orleans
(504) 388-4898
kimberly.curth@portnola.com
