Summer rail and barge volumes increased, with a navigation shutdown affecting the prior-year comparison
The Port of Caddo-Bossier moved more steel coil by barge in the first eight months of 2026 than it handled during all of 2025, part of a broader increase in freight moving through the complex.
“Our operations team has achieved something truly remarkable in 2026. Despite an exceptionally demanding and hot summer, their dedication has driven record-setting productivity,” said Josh Williams, president of the Caddo-Bossier Port Commission.
Steel-coil shipments by barge reached 252,647 short tons through August, compared with 149,184 short tons for the full previous year. That puts the eight-month total about 69% above the 2025 annual figure, according to information supplied by the Port.
The summer comparison also shows gains across both transportation modes. From June through August, barge tonnage rose to 197,249 short tons from 116,723 in the same three months of 2025, an increase of approximately 69%. Rail tonnage increased about 33%, reaching 273,929 short tons compared with 206,035 a year earlier.
Those gains come with important context. According to the Port, navigation on the Red River was shut down approximately July 6 through Aug. 11, 2025, because of dredging issues. The interruption affected the comparison period, during which July barge tonnage fell to 8,803 short tons. July 2026 barge tonnage was 80,652 short tons.
The figures therefore compare this summer’s activity with a period disrupted by a navigation shutdown. They do not isolate how much of the increase reflects shipment demand, operating productivity or the absence of that interruption.
Williams pointed to the steel-coil milestone as a measure of the operations team’s work.
“Through August, we’ve moved more than 252,000 tons of steel coil by barge, nearly 70% more than all of 2025. Reaching that milestone in just eight months is a tremendous testament to their commitment and hard work,” he said.
The summer comparison covers freight coming into and leaving the entire Port complex. It includes activity handled by Rail Link, Genesis/Red River Terminals, Oakley LA and the Port’s operations team, rather than the operations team’s work alone.
The number of railcars and barges also increased. The Port reported 2,477 railcars during June through August 2026, up from 2,047 during the corresponding 2025 period. Barge counts rose from 57 to 107.
Beyond the summer comparison, overall barge tonnage through August reached 532,701 short tons. That exceeded the full-year 2025 total of 468,429 short tons by nearly 14%. Like the steel-coil milestone, this compares eight months of 2026 with twelve months of 2025, rather than equivalent year-to-date periods.
Together, the figures document increased freight activity while underscoring the importance of reliable river navigation to the Port’s business. The final months of 2026 will determine the full-year result, but barge volumes have already passed the prior year’s total.