New Orleans – October 05, 2026 -- A 15,000-ton shipment of primary aluminum arrived at the Port of Avondale in New Orleans, marking the first delivery of Venezuelan aluminum to the United States in nearly eight years. Heeney Capital, a U.S. private investment firm focused on critical minerals and industrial supply chains, organized the shipment and hosted U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), and Representative Julia Letlow (R-Louisiana) to mark the arrival on Monday, October 5, 2026.

Heeney Capital plans recurring shipments from Venezuela

Henry Heeney, Co-Founder of Heeney Capital, said the delivery is one of many future shipments of Venezuelan aluminum planned for the U.S. market, describing it as part of a larger initiative of American investment into Venezuela. The firm anticipates additional cargoes in the coming months, with a longer-term goal of expanding investment in Venezuelan industrial capacity.

Shipment aims to restore a hemispheric supply corridor

The cargo revives a trade route that once made Venezuela one of the leading aluminum exporters in the Western Hemisphere. Co-Founder Sean Pi said the shipment reflects the continuing relationship between Venezuela and the United States, with Heeney Capital focused on assets that support the re-industrialization of American manufacturing.

Aluminum will feed U.S. manufacturing supply chains

The 15,000 tons unloaded at Avondale are intended to support American manufacturers, part of a broader push by Heeney Capital and its partners to secure U.S. access to critical materials from the region after an eight-year gap in direct trade.