HomeCompaniesTerminal OperatorsIMTT New Orleans: North America's Largest Bulk Liquid Storage Operator

IMTT New Orleans: North America’s Largest Bulk Liquid Storage Operator

International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT), headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the largest independent bulk liquid storage and logistics provider in North America — operating 11 terminals with approximately 41 million barrels of capacity across the United States and Canada. Owned by global private equity firm Riverstone Holdings LLC since December 2020, IMTT serves refiners, chemical manufacturers, commodities traders, and distributors handling everything from crude petroleum to renewable fuels and vegetable oils.

IMTT New Orleans — Company Overview

Founded in 1939 by James J. Coleman Sr. with the purchase of a terminal in Avondale, Louisiana, IMTT has spent over 80 years building one of North America’s most strategically positioned bulk liquid storage networks. The business was operated in partnership with Van Ommeren — now Vopak — between 1975 and 1999, before the Coleman family reacquired full ownership in 2000.

Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation acquired a 50% stake in 2006 and became sole owner in 2014, before selling IMTT to Riverstone Holdings in a transaction finalised in December 2020. Riverstone is a global energy-focused private equity firm with over $42 billion in assets under management. CEO Carlin Conner leads the business today from its New Orleans base.

IMTT’s terminal network handles a broad product slate: crude and refined petroleum products, petrochemicals, renewable fuels, biofuels, and vegetable and tropical oils — reflecting both the company’s legacy hydrocarbon roots and its active push into lower-carbon storage segments.

Terminal Network and Key Assets

IMTT operates 11 terminals across North America, with major facilities concentrated in Louisiana, Bayonne (New Jersey), and Richmond (California). The Louisiana terminals include the Avondale site — IMTT’s original 1939 terminal and its largest Louisiana facility, with 1.1 million barrels of capacity across 88 tanks. All three Louisiana terminals sit at the heart of the US Gulf Coast’s bulk liquid logistics network, with direct access to major waterways and pipeline interconnects.

The Bayonne terminal provides critical access to the New York Harbour market, one of the most competitive bulk liquid hubs on the US East Coast. The Richmond facility serves West Coast industrial and refining customers. Combined, the network’s ~41 million barrels of capacity places IMTT firmly among the largest independent terminal operators active in North America, alongside Stolthaven Terminals and Odfjell Terminals.

The 2017 acquisition of seven terminals from Epic Midstream significantly expanded IMTT’s geographic footprint and product handling capability, adding strategic assets across key US distribution corridors.

Decarbonisation Strategy and 2026 Direction

IMTT publicly committed to a greener and cleaner operational strategy in 2021, positioning the business as an active participant in North America’s energy transition rather than a passive observer. The company’s stated mission includes identifying opportunities to support sustainable, lower-carbon-intensity energy sources through its existing terminal infrastructure.

In practical terms, this means IMTT is investing in renewable fuels and biofuels handling capacity across its network — a segment that is growing rapidly as refiners and distributors expand their low-carbon product volumes. The company’s waterway-adjacent locations and existing tank infrastructure give it a structural advantage in capturing this transition traffic without major greenfield capital expenditure.

For industry professionals tracking North America’s tank terminal sector, IMTT’s scale, geographic spread, and transition-aligned strategy make it one of the most closely watched independent operators heading into the second half of the decade.

IMTT in the Competitive Landscape

As the largest independent bulk liquid storage provider in North America by terminal count and capacity, IMTT operates at a scale that places it above most regional competitors. Its independence from major oil company ownership — combined with Riverstone’s infrastructure investment model — gives it the flexibility to serve multiple customer segments without the conflicts of interest that can arise within integrated operator structures.

The company’s SAGE operational framework — Safety, Always Do the Right Thing, Greener and Cleaner, Empowered to Win Together — reflects a management culture increasingly aligned with the ESG expectations of large industrial customers and the regulatory environment around bulk liquid storage in the US.

IMTT Company Snapshot

DetailInformation
Full NameInternational-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT)
HeadquartersNew Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Founded1939
OwnerRiverstone Holdings LLC
CEOCarlin Conner
Terminals11 across North America
Total Capacity~41 million barrels
Products HandledPetroleum, chemicals, renewable fuels, vegetable oils
Key LocationsLouisiana, Bayonne NJ, Richmond CA
Websiteimtt.com

What does IMTT New Orleans specialise in?

IMTT specialises in bulk liquid storage and handling, operating 11 terminals across North America with approximately 41 million barrels of capacity. Its product range covers crude and refined petroleum, petrochemicals, renewable fuels, biofuels, and vegetable oils.

Where are IMTT’s main terminals located?

IMTT’s key facilities are in Louisiana (including its original Avondale terminal), Bayonne in New Jersey, and Richmond in California. The Louisiana terminals provide direct access to the US Gulf Coast’s bulk liquid logistics network.

How large is IMTT’s storage capacity?

IMTT operates approximately 41 million barrels of bulk liquid storage capacity across 11 terminals in the United States and Canada, making it the largest independent bulk liquid storage provider in North America.

Who owns IMTT and who runs it?

IMTT is owned by Riverstone Holdings LLC, a global energy-focused private equity firm with over $42 billion in assets under management, following its acquisition of the business from Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation in December 2020. Carlin Conner serves as CEO.

What is IMTT’s strategy for 2026?

IMTT is actively expanding its renewable fuels and lower-carbon storage capability as part of a decarbonisation strategy publicly committed to in 2021. The company is positioning its waterway-adjacent terminal network to capture growing biofuels and sustainable product flows across North America.

Richard Hartleyhttps://www.oilgasstoragenews.com
Richard Hartley — Editor, Oil & Gas Storage News Richard Hartley is the Editor of Oil & Gas Storage News, a specialist B2B publication covering tank terminals, LNG infrastructure, pipelines, and energy storage worldwide. He covers the full value chain — from upstream storage and midstream logistics through to downstream terminal operations — with a focus on market developments, company profiles, and infrastructure projects that matter to working professionals. Richard's reporting draws on industry data, operator announcements, and project filings to deliver technically credible news and analysis. He is based in Houston, Texas
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