Enviva ribbon-cutting; railway talk

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A bulk-carry ship packed with 47,000 tons of Mississippi-made wood pellets readied to take off for Japan on Nov. 30 as state leaders gathered to celebrate the sendoff from at the opening of a new terminal at the Port of Pascagoula. The pellets, designed to be burned in place of coal, arrived at the Port of Pascagoula by train from the Enviva wood-pellet company based in George County. It is the port’s newest partner and began shipping pellets in July. Enviva CEO Thomas Meth attended the fanfare, but the company soon may have to navigate around the company’s usual railway supply chain between its 10 SE factories. Rail workers have threatened to strike after failed union negotiations with freight companies. "(I)'s not the right time to have a railroad strike,” Meth said following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, “and we’re optimistic it can be avoided.”  Experts have said a strike could shut down nearly a third of the country’s freight systems. President Biden asked Congress to block the strike. The US House passed a bill Nov. 30 that would force a contract agreement. Biden is asking the Senate to act quickly. Gov. Tate Reeves told a reporter that most companies in state have contingency plans. Enviva, and others, have facilities that can "utilize the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to move product.” Enviva also plans to transfer pellets to port using trucks – something it plans to do once its next factory is operating in Bond. The state gave Enviva $4M in grants to open that facility. (Mississippi Today 11/30/22) With rail strike looming, company hosts ribbon cutting in Pascagoula | Business | meridianstar.com