New Orleans' Port, Airport Begin Reopening Process

ew Orleans’ port is on track to reopen well ahead of schedule and is already taking in some cargo, and city’s airport reopened to cargo traffic on Sunday, news services reported.

The Port of New Orleans is scheduled to unload its first ship Wednesday and has had its power restored to many of its operational and unloading facilities, port director Gary LaGrange told CNBC Monday.

“We’ve rallied the truckers; we’ve got support there,” he said.

He told CNBC he estimated the port would be at 30% to 40% capacity within a month, 70% to 80% within three months, and at 100% in four to six months, much faster than earlier estimates.

The port has about half of its workforce back, he said.

The port is the gateway to a river system that allows cargo to move to and from 33 states, on the Mississippi River or tributaries, the Associated Press reported. Its reach is broadened further with the port's connection to six railroads.

n addition to opening to air cargo Sunday, the New Orleans airport will begin limited passenger service Tuesday, with about 30 departures and arrivals a day, AP reported.

The airport’s director, Roy Williams, estimated that the airport is now housing about 5,000 recovery workers, many of whom have been sleeping in baggage-handling areas, AP said.

Business officials in New Orleans’ central business district will be able to get temporary passes into the city starting Monday so that they can retrieve vital records or equipment needed to make payroll or otherwise run their businesses, AP reported.