Drax reaches “milestone” with 200th biomass shipment from Baton Rouge

This month, Drax, one of the world’s leading producers and users of sustainable biomass, loaded its 200^th shipment of sustainable biomass at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.
The shipment marks a major milestone for Drax’s operations in the United States, according to the company, as it amounts to more than 10 million tonnes having been shipped and used to generate renewable dispatchable power for homes and businesses in the UK.
“Reaching a milestone like this highlights the tremendous work of the thousands of people employed throughout our global biomass supply chain, including our shipping partners,” said Matt White, executive vice president of North America Operations for Drax. “Drax is committed to ensuring our sustainable biomass continues to deliver positive outcomes for the climate, our environment, and the communities where we work.”
The 200^th shipment was loaded on to the MV Belguardian – a bulk carrier vessel that will travel across the Atlantic Ocean before arriving at Associated British Ports’ Humber International Terminal.
From there, the biomass will be transported by rail to Drax Power Station.
A cargo typically takes around 17 to 21 days to reach the UK. The logistics are achieved through a coordinated effort from Drax's long-term partners including HOST, Alfred H Knight and Ultrabulk.
Over the last decade Drax has converted four of its power station’s six generating units to use sustainable biomass instead of coal. This has transformed Drax, which supplies 12% of the UK’s renewable electricity, into the country’s largest renewable power generator and the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe.
An independent analysis by Chmura recently showed that sustainable biomass is now a key industry across the southeast US, boosting economic prospects for rural communities. The cumulative economic impact of Drax’s operations from 2023 to 2030 is estimated to be $8.3 billion (€7.8bn) in total spending and $3.4 billion (€3.2bn) in GDP across Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.