Copper Rush to US Causes Logjam at New Orleans Port

The Nord Norfolk, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, is carrying roughly half a billion dollars of African copper to New Orleans. This shipment is part of a massive influx of copper into the US, with around $500 million worth arriving in September and October alone.

The Port of New Orleans is already struggling to handle the volume, with congestion at marine terminals causing delays for loading copper and other metals onto trucks and railcars. Anton Posner, CEO of logistics-services provider Mercury Resources, said his company is sending metal up the Mississippi by barge instead.

The surge in US copper imports has driven a record-breaking rally in copper prices, with the global benchmark on the London Metal Exchange climbing about 50% since President Trump first proposed tariffs on the metal. However, doubts are growing that Trump will push ahead with tariffs, narrowing the gap between US and international prices.