The port of New Orleans is slowly recovering from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina and is now operating at about 45 percent of its pre-storm pace.

Port officials say the third-largest port in the United States handled 17 ships last week, moving 450 truckloads of cargo per day.

Before the storm, around 1000 trucks would typically move 1,500 such loads.

Hundreds of truckers lost their homes, rigs or both in the storm. Port officials are appealing to truckers across the United States to come to New Orleans and help move cargo in and out of the port and help rebuild the city's economy.