Suzano Selects Avondale Global Gateway in Louisiana for Imports of Pulp

April 30, 2026 - Avondale Global Gateway (AGG) and Suzano today announced a five-year terminal services agreement that will bring regular wood pulp imports back to Louisiana for the first time in more than 30 years.

Under the agreement, AGG will serve as one of Suzano’s terminals in the Central Gulf Coast for their wood pulp shipments arriving from Brazil, to be distributed across North America by rail. The first vessel is scheduled to arrive at AGG in the first week of May this year.

The agreement marks a significant milestone for both Louisiana and Suzano, the world’s largest pulp supplier and one of Brazil’s biggest exporters which has been present in the American market for over 40 years. Suzano’s decision also aligns with its continued expansion in the region, including its 2024 acquisition of mills in Arkansas and North Carolina from Pactiv Evergreen.

As part of its North American growth strategy, Suzano selected Avondale following a two-year evaluation process focused on logistics efficiency, infrastructure, and long-term scalability. The Avondale operation will support this strategy by creating a more centralized and efficient logistics footprint on the Gulf Coast.

“An efficient and resilient supply chain is essential to our business, and Avondale offers the combination of river access, rail connectivity, port infrastructure, and operational flexibility we were looking for,” said Juliana Vizintim, Operations Executive Manager at Suzano. “This partnership strengthens our Gulf Coast logistics platform and enhances supply assurance and efficiency for our customers across North America.”

To support the new operation, AGG has completed major upgrades to 245,000 square feet of warehouse space, including new concrete flooring, five additional loading doors, loading platforms, overhead awnings, and a laser fire detection and suppression system. These improvements were made specifically to meet Suzano’s operational requirements.

In parallel, a $13 million rail expansion is underway at Avondale, funded in part through Louisiana Economic Development’s FastSites program.

Together with other site improvements, total investment tied to the Suzano operation is expected to exceed $20 million over time.

“Bringing wood pulp back to Louisiana is a major milestone,” said Adam Anderson, Chairman and CEO of T. Parker Host, parent company of Avondale Global Gateway. “This is new activity for the state, new jobs, and meaningful investment at Avondale. It reflects the kind of long-term industrial growth we believed this site could support and shows what’s possible when the right partner, infrastructure, and location come together.”

Rail service will play a central role in the operation, allowing cargo to move efficiently from vessel to warehouse to inland destinations across the United States. AGG worked closely with Union Pacific to align infrastructure and service capacity ahead of launch.

Since T. Parker Host acquired the former Avondale Shipyard in 2018, the 275-acre site has been steadily redeveloped into a multimodal logistics hub.

About Avondale Global Gateway

Avondale Global Gateway is a multimodal logistics and terminal facility located on the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Operated by T. Parker Host, the site offers deepwater dock access, large-scale warehousing, and Class I rail connectivity, supporting bulk and breakbulk cargo flows across North America.

SOURCE: Hawthorne Advisors for Suzano