Port Log Fall 2017 by Renaissance Publishing

CONTENT

P O R T S TA F F

executive director

deputy director

c h i e f

Roy Quezaire

o p e r at i n g o f f i c e r

director of a d m i n i s t r at i o n

Paul Aucoin

airport director

Vincent Caire

director of business development

executive counsel

director of finance

director of o p e r at i o n s

director of human resources

s p e c i a l

Dale Hymel, Jr.

Cindy Martin

projects officer

Linda Prudhomme Melissa Folse Grant Faucheux Brian Cox Tamara Kennedy Joel T. Chaisson

Lee “Buddy” Amedee

director of trade development

port of south louisiana 171 Belle Terre Blvd., P.O. Box 909 LaPlace, LA 70069-0909 www.portsl.com Phone: (985) 652-9278 | Fax: (504) 568-6270 globalplex intermodal terminal Phone: (985) 652-9278 a s s o c i at e d t e r m i n a l s

Phone: (985) 233-8545 The Port of South Louisiana is a member of the Ports Association of Louisiana. To become an associate member of PAL and to help further the maritime industry in Louisiana, please visit PAL’s website at www.portsoflouisiana.org or call the PAL office at (225) 334-9040.

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director ’ s log

overview

The Army Corps of Engineers: Strengthening and Fortifying the Maritime Industry

around the port Friday Night FootBall in the River Parishes

whats new

Meet the CEO: Rob Simon

Port of South Louisiana Executive Director to Receive Eugene J. Schreiber Award

Coastal Restoration Projects in the Gulf South

Welcome to the “Airport Hotel”: Hangar Opens

New Petroleum Liquid Storage Terminal

Study launched on National Economic Contributions of U.S. Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry

Port Log Earns Distinction

The Ports Association of Louisiana: Ports to the Power of One

port people Meet Aspen Murphy

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port raits

published by renaissance publishing llc

company profiles

editor art director

Jessica DeBold

Ali Sullivan Colleen Monaghan

v i c e

president of sales

account executive

Tess Jones

Kevin O’Sullivan William Kalec

contributing writers

Sarah Ravits

port map final frame To advertise call Tess at (504) 830-7239 or email Tess@myneworleans.com. 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 • www.myneworleans.com

Cover IMAGE PROVIDED BY The Ports Association of Louisiana

NOMINATE “Port People” FOR AN UPCOMING ISSUE OF PORT LOG If you would like to send in a nomination for a member of the Port of South Louisiana maritime community to be featured in the next issue of Port Log, email your person’s contact information, position, and charitable contributions to lbraud@portsl.com.

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Copyright 2017 The Port Log, Port of South Louisiana, and Renaissance Publishing LLC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Port of South Louisiana, Post Office Box 909, LaPlace, LA 70069-0909. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the owner or Publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazine’s managers, owners or publisher. The Port Log is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork even if accompanied by a self addressed stamped envelope.

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DIRECTOR’S LOG

he Port of South Louisiana handled over 69 million short tons of cargo in the second quarter of 2017, a 2 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The increase in cargo handling in the second quarter continues the trend of growth we’ve seen during the last couple of years: cargo throughput increased by 12 percent, or over 16 million short tons, during the first half of 2017 compared to the same time frame last year. Over 153 million short tons of cargo passed through the Port of South Louisiana’s docks moved via 2,398 vessels and 34,318 barges since the beginning of the year, comprised of mostly grain (51 million short tons), crude (42 million short tons), and petrochemicals (29 million short tons). As announced industrial projects begin to come online, we can expect further increase in tonnage. In mid-August, the Port of South Louisiana participated in the ribbon cutting that marked the official opening of Pin Oak Terminals. The terminal, which broke ground in October of 2015, now has the capacity to handle and store over 400,000 barrels of refined products and biofuels with plans to expand to 10 million barrels of storage and the construction of a unit-train rail loop. Pin Oak Terminals is a welcome addition to the Port of South Louisiana industry family. Not only will its establishment increase tonnage handling capacity but it will result in additional jobs for the citizens of the River Region. In another important way to support our community, the Port of

d. paul robichaux president

pat sellars vice president

South Louisiana entered into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Nicholls State University in May of 2016 and continues today to promote the institution’s successful Coastal Restoration Program. As part of the agreement, the Port of South Louisiana committed to provide financial assistance to the university’s biology department. These funds will be used to aid in their efforts and for the maintenance of the Nicholls farm, a research and education lab that encourages the research, education, and implementation of coastal restoration methodology. We are delighted to be able to contribute to such a necessary cause. In late July, the American Association of Port Authorities announced the recipients of the 2017 AAPA Communications Awards Program. The Port’s quarterly PortLog journal, which you are currently reading, received an Award of Distinction in the periodicals category. This is the second consecutive year the PortLog has received an award (last year, it received an Award of Merit). I want to congratulate the Port of South Louisiana’s business development division for this achievement in their collaborative effort with Renaissance Publishing in producing our successful quarterly magazine. Lastly, in late June, the Port of South Louisiana acquired the property known as Crescent/Homeplace located in St. James Parish. The purchase of the +/- 1,680-acre site on the west bank of the Mississippi River fits into the goals and mission of the Port of South Louisiana. We look forward to developing the property and creating more jobs for the community. •

joseph scontrino executive vice president

p. joey murray

stanley bazile

treasurer

s e c r e ta r y

robert "poncho" roussel

kelly buckwalter

whitney hickerson

judy songy

vice president

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OVERVIEW

142.28

137.51

125.38

138.82

The state legislature established the Port of South Louisiana in 1960 to promote commerce and industrial development along the 54-mile stretch of the Mississippi River that runs through the St. Charles, St. John and St. James tri-parish regions.

153. 6

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N CENTER OF THE AMERICAS

39.62

41.21

37.82

32.10

mAiZE 26.1 (17% )

OREs / PHOsPHATE ROcK 3.8 (2%)

43.40

OTHER < 2% sTEEl PRODUcTs 3.7 (2%)

37.90

32.25

31.95

33.57

32.11

cOAl / ligNiTE / cOKE 7.4 (5%)

37.80 34.50

2017

36.94 28.70

2016

32.15

2015

34.63

2014

ANimAl FEED 6.7 (4%)

22.73

NUmBER OF VEssEl cAlls: 2,398 NUmBER OF BARgE mOVEmENTs: 34,318

2013

38.61

TOTAl TONAGE: 153,625,208 FIrST + SECOND QUArTEr 2017 ( iN milliON sHORT TONs )

36.81

32.80

sOyBEAN 16.7 (11% )

cHEmicAls / FERTiliZER s 14.1 (9%)

POrT OF SOUTH lOUISIANA TOTAl TONNAGE JANUArY - JUNE

PETROcHEmicAls 29.9 (20% )

(IN MILLIONS OF ShORT TONS )

cRUDE Oil 42.6 (28%)

ExPORTS

DOMESTIC ShIPPED

IMPORTS

DOMESTIC RECEIVED

mission

p h ilosop h y

facilities

The Port is charged with a mission to promote maritime commerce, trade and development, and to establish public and private partnerships for the creation of intermodal terminals and industrial facilities.

The Port’s philosophy of development is to entice companies to set up regional operations within its boundaries. The Port serves primarily as a “landlord” port to more than 30 grain, petroleum and chemical companies. The exception to this is the port-owned world-class intermodal Globalplex facility and the new SoLaPort facility.

Within the Port’s jurisdiction, there are seven grain elevators, multiple midstreaming operations, more than 40 liquid and dry-bulk terminals, the Globalplex Intermodal Terminal and the Port’s Executive Regional Airport.

governance The Port is under the jurisdiction of the state of Louisiana and authorized by the state constitution. A seven-member board of commissioners directs the Port; all of them are unsalaried. Four members are appointed by the governor, with one member representing each of the associated parishes and one at-large member; the remaining members are appointed by the presidents of each parish.

w orld ’ s largest port district The ports of South Louisiana, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, St. Bernard and Plaquemines make up the world’s largest continuous port district. They are responsible for moving onefifth of all U.S. foreign waterborne commerce.

port area The Port covers a 54-mile stretch of the lower Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The Port begins at river mile 114.9AHP near the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and winds through St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes. It continues north to river mile 168.5AHP just north of the Sunshine Bridge.

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AROUND THE PORT

Friday Night Football B y K e v i n O ’ S u lli v a n

B ringing R iver Paris h comm unities toget her by t he t ho u sands

fter a hot summer, the river parishes are gearing up for their favorite season — Friday night football season. High school football is no joke for the Port communities. It’s a time where all eight parish teams unite under competition, rivalry, school pride and incredible tailgate parties. Lori Lyons is a freelance sports reporter in the river parishes who has been covering high school football since 1991. She’s seen the same generations that used to play football in the ‘90s now tailgating their own kids’ games; some of them even became coaches, and others like Jarvis Landry, Quinn Johnson, Ed Reed and many more River Parish high school football alumni simply joined the NFL. “We play really good football down here,” Lyons said. “We have a lot of state championship trophies, a lot of NFL players come from here. Football for the river parishes isn’t just something to pass the time — we take it seriously, and we play it really well. It really forms a united bond between the river parishes. We’re often overlooked as the no-man’s land between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but when we consistently take state or send one of our players to the NFL, they remember us.” The eight river parish high school football

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teams are spread across the East and West banks of the Mississippi River. The natural rivalries between teams like Riverside and St. Charles, East St. John and Destrehan, or Lutcher and St. James have a lot more geographical history than one might think. “A lot of these teams are right in the middle of sugarcane fields,” Lyons said. “And there’s at least two teams per Parish, one on each side of the river. The symmetry is beautiful. It’s East bank vs. West bank. “For centuries, our geography has created natural rivalries,” Lyons continued. “Like the Hahnville and Destrehan rivalry — they have been arguing over which side of the river is better for decades. It wasn’t until the ‘30s that they started playing it out on the football field. Before that, it was who grew the best sugar cane or who had the fastest mules. These are rivalries born out of more than just football, and that’s what makes our games so exciting.” This season, the rivalries are heated, and as everyone is getting back in the swing of the school day coaches and students alike are gearing up to get back in the stadium. I spoke with three head coaches to learn firsthand what exactly Friday night football means in the River Parishes.

The Fighting Tigers Dominic Saltaformaggio, or Coach Salt, is the head coach for the Hahnville High School Fighting Tigers. He has 35 years of coaching experience, but after only four seasons at Hahnville , Coach Salt has discovered the apex of high school football. “I have never seen the Friday night experience that we have here duplicated anywhere else,” Coach Salt said. “We run out one by one to fireworks and the home side of our stadium is sold out every week. I tell the kids that they don’t know how lucky they are that every Friday night, they’re going to play to four to six thousand people. That’s no joke.” The Hahnville football team has a special tradition before each game that Coach Salt believes is a small example of how the team and the community are intertwined. After school, the team gathers with their families for a team meal on Fridays, followed by a prayer service. Then they return to the alreadypacked stadium to prepare 2 ½ hours before kickoff. “At this point,” Coach Salt said about the game opening, “there are already people waiting for the game to start. They’re cheering for every player that comes out of the locker room, and all along the street there are people tailgating and barbecuing.

“Hahnville is one of those places where it’s cool to love your school,” Coach Salt said. “The community has a tremendous commitment to the school and the school reciprocates. That’s what makes our Friday nights so special. Everyone treats the football game like an oasis, and it really has become one.” Hahnville High School’s most noteworthy, emulous rival is the Destrehan Wildcats — and the competition is serious. As soon as school starts, it becomes the fiery topic on every football player’s palette. “Ten to twelve thousand people show up to the Destrehan game, even people who don’t have any affiliation with the school. They just hear how unbelievable this game is,” Coach Salt said. “We haven’t beaten them in three years, but each year that loss kind of propels us through the rest of the season. Last year we won nine straight games after the Destrehan loss.” The Rams The West St. John High School Rams are notorious for their football edge. Coach Brandon Walters has been coaching at West St. John for 13 years. This is his third season as head coach, and like the rest of the community, he is anxiously awaiting the start of the season. “West St. John High School football is the lifeline of the community,” Coach Walters said. “It’s been that way for decades. It’s a storied tradition that we have; it’s the heart of the community. Everything in Edgard stops for football. The locals and people from all over come to tailgate and eat our fried chicken and sausage.” The “storied tradition” is emboldened with the rivalry between the West St. John Rams and the St. James Wildcats. Both schools sit alongside the same railroad track off of Highway 3127. When the train roars by with its whistle blaring during football games at West St. John or St. James High, the crowd goes wild. This shared phenomenon created the natural rivalry between the two teams. The tradition became known as The Railroad Classic. “We play for an actual piece of a railroad,” Coach Walters explained. “Our rivalry is a fun one, but it’s as intense as the Saints and the Falcons. It’s broadcasted on TV all throughout South Louisiana, western Mississippi and East Texas. At the game, you’ll see people out at 7 a.m. tailgating and cooking. The game isn’t until 7 p.m. They are there before we even come in for work that morning, cranking up their grills.” This game was early this year. Starting off their season with the Railroad classic on

OPPOSITE PAGE: The East St. John Wildcats take the field to start their 2017-18 football season. Photo credit: East St. John Above: The West St. John Rams gather for some game time motivation. Photo credit: L’Observateur

Sept. 1, West St. John had the opportunity to win back the trophy that they lost last year after having it for eight consecutive seasons. The Bulldogs This year is Coach Dwain Jenkins’ second season as head coach of the Lutcher High School Bulldogs, but his history with Lutcher’s Friday night football community goes far beyond that. Coach Jenkins grew up three blocks away from the Lutcher stadium. Since he was a child, Bulldog football has been a part of his life and now, in his 14th season coaching at Lutcher, he is still captivated by the energy of the game and how much of an effect it has on the community’s identification. “Football season is when the community comes together each Friday night,” Coach Jenkins explained. “It’s a really exciting time, and it plays such an important role in our collective identity. The parish rallies behind our team and gives them an incredible amount of support. It really shows in full color during our away games. Each week during our away games, our fans travel with us. When people are willing to travel to support their community’s school, it demonstrates how important the football culture is, and the students really benefit from it.” It’s not just away games that the Lutcher community rallies behind. Last year, when The Bulldogs played their rival

team, The St. James Wildcats, Lutcher High School had to call a half day. “The campus was too crowded with tailgaters,” Coach Jenkins states. “By 11 a.m. we rounded up the team and had to leave campus to get away from all of the distraction. It’s a serious party during that game.” The Wildcats and Bulldogs game is early this season, and Coach Jenkins is expecting quite the show. The Spirit of The Sport High school football in the River Parishes is not only the community’s Friday night hub to get together and enjoy the rush of the sport, it’s an opportunity to raise future leaders. “High school holds a special place in the hearts of our students and alum,” said Coach Salt. “If you ask someone where they went to school, they tell you their high school, not their college. It’s a unique opportunity that we have to really influence these young men — to teach them how to be great men.” And they do become great men. Whether it’s in the NFL, coaching a River Parish team, or supporting their community’s school on a Friday night, the alumni of River Parish football are prepared to deal with adversity, with success and failure, and with having a network of support that encourages dedication and teamwork. •

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W H AT ’ S N E W

MEET THE CEO

Rob Simon of Bayou Steel Group interview by S ara h R avits

hough it’s just over a year old, Bayou Steel Group has deep Louisiana roots. Technically, the company has existed in various incarnations, but only in 2016 was it established as an independent distributor and rolling operation. CEO Rob Simon oversees a staff of approximately 450 employees at the company, which produces high-quality steel products and serves as a finishing operation producing and selling Merchant Bar and Small Beam products in North America. Upon graduating from West Virginia University with an Industrial Engineering degree, he worked as a production manager, and then as the general manager for Oregon Brass Work. Within a few years, he worked his way up to vice-president and general manager for CF&I Steel, which at the time was a newly acquired division of Oregon Steel Mills. His career then expanded to Steel Dynamics, the country’s fifth largest steel company, where he took on the role of Vice-President Structural Products. He led the organization through a recovery from the financial crisis that quickly re-established a strong presence in the company’s markets while also developing a significant presence in new markets for the company. A natural leader, Simon is passionate about working in environments where core values drive his team members to realize their potential. He has established a track record of improving and managing businesses throughout the steel industry. He says that daily duties at the helm of the company include “first and foremost, doing what it takes to ensure a safe work environment for all team members.” He also works with the leadership team to implement the initiatives of strategic planning, including rebranding the newly formed company as a chief supplier of choice in the markets it serves.

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Can you give Port Log some background on what Bayou Steel Group does, and how it has grown or expanded over the years? Bayou Steel Group was newly formed in 2016. However, our history is deeply rooted. In 1981, operations at our LaPlace headquarters began on the Mississippi River. Our goal was to transport raw materials and semifinished and finished goods. Years later, in 1995, we extended our rolling and distribution operation by adding our Harriman location in Tennessee. As of today, our locations continue to produce high-quality steel products. Our mills use a scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking production process which is the cleanest and most energy-efficient process available. Our rolling mill facilities in LaPlace and Harriman create a variety of structural steel, merchant bar and small beam products. Our LaPlace facility makes use of the Mississippi waterways to barge product to three BSG depots located in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Catoosa, Oklahoma. We distribute products throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Our facilities enable us to ship by barge, rail and from all mill locations as well depot locations. What are some challenges you’ve faced as a leader of the company? Bayou Steel Group has experienced several ownerships and as such, has struggled with its identity as an independent company. We have a terrific culture that represents a great opportunity for our company to be the supplier of choice we strive to be as our work ethic and dedication is unique and will enable our success.

What are some of your goals for the future? To continue working with great people and being a part of their success and experiencing the joy of watching my children develop into unique and happy individuals. What are the accomplishments you are most proud of? I have been privileged enough to be part of some significant turn-around situations including my work at Rocky Mountain Steel Mills in Pueblo, Colorado, as well as my work with Bayou Steel Group. Most importantly, I have two kids who make me the proudest of dads. •

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W H AT ’ S N E W

Port of South Louisiana Executive Director to Receive Eugene J. Schreiber Award Pu b l i s h e d b y th e W o r l d T r ade C e nte r o f New Orlea n s

he World Trade Center of New Orleans announced this year’s recipient of the Eugene J. Schreiber Award as Paul Aucoin, Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana. Aucoin will be presented the award at the Louisiana International Trade Jubilee taking place on Friday, November 3, 2017 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The Jubilee is the closing

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celebration of the inaugural Louisiana International Trade Week, hosted by the World Trade Center of New Orleans. “Paul’s role in shaping the international trade landscape of Louisiana cannot be understated,” said Caitlin Cain, Chief Executive Officer of the World Trade Center New Orleans. “He’s made increasing trade and investment a priority for the port, and in doing so, positioned Louisiana

for long-term economic growth. Paul is a relentless ambassador for the international business community and a true reflection of what this award represents.” Prior to his role as Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana, Aucoin served as the port’s legal counsel. Aucoin has served as director and chairman of various organizations including current appointments to the World Trade Center

of New Orleans Board of Directors, the River Region Chamber of Commerce, and the St. James Parish Economic Development Board. In 2016, Aucoin was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Board of International Commerce and recognized as one of 21 Influential Leaders along the Louisiana Industrial Corridor by 10/12 Industry Report. Born and raised in St. John the Baptist Parish, Aucoin has been practicing law since receiving his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Law School in 1970. “I am very humbled and deeply honored to receive the Eugene J. Schreiber award,” said Paul Aucoin, Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana. “Obviously any success I have enjoyed in promoting international trade for Louisiana is due in large part to the Commissioners and employees of the Port of South Louisiana, Caitlin Cain and her staff, Jessica Steverson and Brandy Dufrene, along with Eddy Hayes and the Board of Directors at the World Trade Center of New Orleans. I am very proud to receive this prestigious award.” The Eugene J. Schreiber Award was established in memory of the late Eugene “Gene” Schreiber, who served the World Trade Center and Louisiana community for over 30 years. The Schreiber Award honors an individual who demonstrates exceptional knowledge and leadership in promoting international trade policy for the benefit of the State of Louisiana. Previous recipients of the Schreiber Award include Senator Mary Landrieu, Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr. MD, Hon. James Coleman, Jr. CBE, and Gary P. LaGrange, former CEO of Port of New Orleans. Sponsorship and ticket information for the inaugural Louisiana International Trade Week & Jubilee can be found online at www.wtcno. org. You may also contact Jessica Steverson at (504) 529-1601 or jsteverson@wtcno.org. •

OPPOSITE PAGE: Paul Aucoin, Executive Director, Port of South Louisiana

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W H AT ’ S N E W

coastal restoration

B y K e v i n O ’ S u lli v a n

P rotecting cult ure and economy in t he G u lf S o u t h

he coastline of Louisiana is a natural wonder. It’s what creates splendid wetlands filled with some of the best fishing on the planet. Its biodiversity is unrivaled by many parts of North America; and its oil deposits (which make up 30 percent of the United States’ domestic oil) are responsible for Louisiana’s thriving economy. Our coastline and the Mississippi Delta are what make Louisiana an incredibly rich community, brimming with significant history; and from it an enigmatic sense of connectedness. It is the lifeblood of Louisiana. So, it’s no wonder that our port industries and ecological experts have joined forces to protect our coast from its rapid rate of erosion. Paul Aucoin, the Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana, sees the importance of granting funding to coastal restoration projects. One of the most prominent projects is Nicholls State University’s Coastal Restoration Program. Nicholls has been implementing intensive long-term strategies to combat the effects of coastal land loss since 2005. “The Port of South Louisiana is located on 54 miles of the Mississippi River between St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James Parishes,” said Aucoin. “Our industries along this stretch depend entirely on the river and so we know how important coastal restoration is and we believe that assisting Nicholls State University with their efforts is critical for not only this region, but the country.” The Nicholls Coastal Restoration Program has been closely monitoring the effects of coastal erosion and has been regularly deploying groups of students and professionals to coastal sites, building sand fences as well as planting grasses and mangroves that will hold loose soil together and create surge buffers. Dr. Allyse Ferrara is a professor of biological sciences at Nicholls State University, and she also helps to direct the Coastal Restoration Program.

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Dr. Ferrara has dedicated countless days to understanding and protecting southern Louisiana from coastal land loss. In a recent conversation, Dr. Ferrara explained how coastal land loss is an amalgam of the consequences of levee and canal construction, dredging of waterways and subsidence. “The levees prevent new land growth in the marshlands through the loss of silt and sediment that spilled out of the Mississippi River during annual floods thus replenishing our estuaries that naturally subside. Additionally, navigational canals allow the intrusion or upstream movement of saltwater that kills freshwater and brackish water plants that hold the soil together. Because of these and several other factors, we’re losing a football field of Louisiana coastline every 100 minutes.” This is why the Nicholls Coastal Restoration Program engages in tedious, yet imperative projects at sites all along the gulf coast. In recent projects, Dr. Ferrara has taken students to fundamental coastline regions like the Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands, Fourchon Beach and Elmer’s Island to install sand fences and plant mangroves and beach and dune grasses. Native plants are grown and maintained at the Nicholls Farm for coastal plantings. Woody species such as black mangrove and native hibscus and grass species such as smooth cordgrass, Gulf cordgrass and bitter panicum are grown in fields and greenhouses at the Nicholls Farm. Some of the upcoming projects that Dr. Ferrara is excited about are the black mangrove planting on Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands on September 8, the 2017 International Coastal Cleanup at Elmer’s Island on September 16, the 2018 Bayou Lafourche Cleanup in March and the upcoming expansion of the dune grass plantings on Fourchon Beach. “We’re not doing anything on a massive scale,” said Dr. Ferrara, “but any work on

restoring the gulf coast is critical. We’ve planted a lot of newly placed sediment to help keep the sediments in place. In the future, we hope to increase the number of species we produce at the Nicholls Farm for coastal restoration projects. Unfortunately, the plants don’t take care of themselves, so we are grateful that we have the staff and and students to do the work to grow the plants for coastal projects. We’re also thankful for the support of coastal industries like The Port of South Louisiana that allow us to grow plants at the Nicholls Farm for use along our coast.” •

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W H AT ’ S N E W

WELCOME TO THE “AIRCRAFT HOTEL” B y W illiam K alec

the Port of South Louisiana recently opened a brand new transient hangar to meet the demands of clients and their flight crews

echnically, it’s a new hangar measuring at 6,000-square feet. But upon its recent completion and infant stages of use, Vincent Caire — the Port of South Louisiana’s Director of the Executive Regional Airport and first-hand witness to this entire facility’s five-year makeover — reminds patrons of its versatility with another, catchier phrase: “The Aircraft Hotel”. Construction of the $600,000 transient hangar was completed in August 2017. It became operational shortly thereafter. The structure is suited for the aircraft of daily and overnight visitors and equipped to handle every foreseeable need for the traveler and flight crew. The hangar is the perfect shield for the aircraft against South Louisiana’s cornucopia of dubious weather and features storage facilities for passenger property and restrooms. “The reason (for this project) is simple: We were out of hangar space,” Caire said. “And there is a demand from our tenants and transient customers.” The hangar is leased out by the Port of South Louisiana and can be reserved in its entirety or in sections for the length of the travelers’ stay in the River Parishes. The hangar at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport is just another gem making the facility attrac-

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tive for those in town for business or leisure. For example, Caire recalled, “very positive and appreciative” feedback from a travel party that rode down the Mississippi River on a Steamboat cruise that departed from the Midwest. As they journeyed south via boat, their private aircraft was flown down to the airport awaiting their arrival. As the tourists explored the plantations of the River Parishes, their plane was able to be refueled and fully catered. From Oak Alley, the travelers arranged a luxury car to pick them up and drive them to the foot of their plane. “There are stories of business executives that are very happy to be within minutes of their destination, eliminating the need for a 45-minute car ride from the other airports,” Caire said. When the Port acquired the airport and unveiled its development plan, referred to as an Airport Layout Plan by the FAA, in late 2011, the motivation for upgrades and improvements was to attract more corporate and business traffic. Specifically, the traffic of those tenants, contractors and their customers operating within the Port District — making trips in and out to hold a meeting, or to pop in and check on construction of a plant expansion — the airport’s calling card, said Caire, “is that it’s much easier and convenient

than landing in Kenner and driving west”. The plan has come to fruition and, Caire explained that new projects like this hangar aren’t necessarily done in preoutlined phases; they are also initiated in partnership with an aircraft operator interested in regular use of the airport to support the demands of their business. In addition to this hangar, the Port has extensively modernized and restructured the airport to make it a viable business-travel destination. The original runway, which measured 4,000 feet, was expanded to 5,150 feet in 2013, enabling larger jets to take-off and land. Shortly thereafter, the airport expanded its full service fueling capacity, installed an updated weather observation system, and in 2015, cut the ribbon on a completely remodeled terminal building complete with rental car services, a pilot’s lounge and conference room to support the all too common, “meeting before the meeting”. “Over the past five years, we have made continuous improvements to the airport that are attracting the attention of aircraft operators that need aviation services in the area,” Caire said. “The most impressive and remarkable transformation is the number of flight crews that are encouraging their clients to use our airport because of its convenience and proximity to the heart of this industrial area.” Beyond this latest hangar, plans are in the works to construct more hangar space simply because there is an obvious need, not only for current tenants, but also for new transient flights. •

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W H AT ’ S N E W

New Petroleum Liquid Storage Terminal In Port Of South Louisiana District

Opening of storage facility to result in 70 onsite jobs, 81 indirect jobs

n Aug. 14, nearly two years after its groundbreaking, Pin Oak Terminals, led by CEO C. Michael Reed, along with Governor John Bel Edwards, St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom, Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucoin, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Michael Tregre, Pin Oak Terminals staff, and many of its supporters, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to signal the beginning of operations in the new multiproduct liquid marine terminal. Announced in October 2015, the project entails a $600 million capital investment in storage terminals, docks and related infrastructure along the east bank of the Mississippi River at Mt. Airy, near the St. John the Baptist-St. James parish line. As the terminal project develops, it will create more than 70 new on-site jobs encompassing full-time company and contractor jobs, with 30 of those positions already filled. Those new jobs will have an average annual salary of more than $60,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 81 new indirect jobs, for a total

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of more than 150 jobs in the Southeast Region and surrounding areas. At peak construction, the project generated more than 440 additional construction jobs. Of those employed, over 75 percent are residents of the River Region. “Today’s official opening of the Pin Oak Terminals is a testament to the continued strength of our energy and chemical corridor,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “This will be a welcome addition to the local economy of St. John the Baptist Parish, resulting in more than 150 new direct and indirect jobs and fueling the economic growth of Louisiana’s Southeast Region along the Mississippi River.” Pin Oak’s services include offloading, storage, heating, blending and transfer of petroleum liquids. Company permits allow construction of up to 10 million barrels of storage and unittrain loops on its 431- acre site, which is situated for convenient shipping of products by rail, pipeline, barge, ship and truck. The terminal is beginning operations with one dock, a two-bay truck rack and four tanks with a capacity of 424,000 barrels of refined products and biofuels. “Pin Oak Terminals is a 15-year-old dream

come true which is now being fully supported by the market,” Reed said. “Customers have signed agreements for up to almost 4 million barrels for this new grass-roots terminal. Without the support of our customers, our dedicated employees and contractors, the local community, the Port of South Louisiana, St. John Parish officials and Louisiana State Government, this would still be a dream.” “We are very excited that the Pin Oak Project is complete and couldn’t be more pleased with the capital investment, the project and the jobs it will create for our residents and business owners,” said Parish President Robottom. “We look forward to Pin Oak’s continued growth and the tremendous benefits they will bring to all who live in the community for many, many years to come. Thank you to all involved as we move into the future with confidence, optimism and great anticipation of the company’s success in the region and state.” Pin Oak Terminals is committed to be a good community partner through safety and volunteer efforts: it has donated food to the local community during holidays and in times of need, contributed to the local theatre program, and contributed through numerous monetary donations to nonprofit organizations, schools, and churches. “The Port of South Louisiana is very proud to have Pin Oak join us. The Port has supported the project since the beginning. Pin Oak has assembled a great team and they have been a pleasure to work with. I also admire and appreciate their commitment to the community,” said Aucoin. “I would like to congratulate Pin Oak on the success of their company and for locating their business in St. John the Baptist Parish,” Tregre said. “I look forward to many years of all of us working together for the betterment of our parish.” Pin Oak Terminals, which received Foreign Trade Zone status by the U.S. Department of Commerce, is pursuing new customers every day. “The sky is the limit to local businessmen who have a dream,” said Danny Guidry, Pin Oak Terminals Chief Administrative Officer. “The beauty is that we can build customized solutions for our customers.” he added. When construction nears the end, the terminal will be served by two Class I railroads and will have two Aframax ship docks with the capability to handle 14 barges simultaneously. •

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W H AT ’ S N E W

Study launched on National Economic Contributions of U.S. Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry

he American Waterways Operators (AWO) launched a study documenting the contribution of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry to the U.S. economy. The study, developed through a cooperative agreement between AWO and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, explores the industry’s economic contributions to employment, gross domestic product, and taxes at the national and state levels; details the types and quantities of vital commodities transported on American waterways; and compares waterborne transport to other modes of freight transport in terms of efficiency, environmental impact and public safety.

the Pricewaterhousecoopers study includes:

• Jobs and GDP. The tugboat, towboat and barge industry supports over 300,000 jobs nationwide – including 50,000 in

the industry itself, 38,000 of which are on board vessels – and has a total annual impact on GDP of $33.8 billion. • Cargo moved. The industry annually moves more than 760 million tons of cargo that fuels the American economy, including critical commodities like petroleum, agricultural products, chemicals, coal, and manufactured goods. • Efficiency and environmental benefit. One inland dry cargo barge can haul 1,750 tons of dry cargo, the equivalent of 16 bulk rail cars or 70 tractor trailers, with greater fuel efficiency and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. “AWO could not be prouder to unveil this PricewaterhouseCoopers study thoroughly quantifying what the dedicated men and women who make up the tugboat, towboat and barge industry have long known, from decades of first-hand experience — The

extent to which maritime freight transport serves as a critical pillar of the American economy,” said AWO President & CEO Tom Allegretti. “We are especially pleased to have partnered with MARAD to produce this invaluable resource, and we look forward to using it to educate policymakers, the media, and the public about the role this industry plays in fueling our nation’s prosperity”. “The maritime industry enables the movement of goods and cargo quickly, efficiently, and at low cost between producers and markets along our nation’s waterways. Waterborne commerce opened up our nation to trade and helped transform a fledgling democracy into the economic superpower it is today,” said MARAD Executive Director Joel Szabat. “Energy efficient water transport continues to play a pivotal part in our nation’s transportation system and helps make America’s economy more competitive.” The study, and AWO’s press kit guiding readers through its findings, can be found at www.americanwaterways.com •

Photo credit: Peter Forest

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W H AT ’ S N E W

Port Log Earns Distinction Port of South Louisiana recognized for its quarterly publication

s the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) will recognize 25 seaports for exemplary communications projects and programs at its annual convention and awards luncheon this fall. Winning entrants in AAPA’s 51st annual Communications Awards Program will be recognized at an Oct. 4 awards luncheon in conjunction with AAPA’s 106th Annual Convention and Expo in Long Beach, Calif. Port Log is receiving an Award of Distinction in AAPA’s 2017 competition. Scores of 90 and above receive an Award of Excellence, while scores between 80 and 90 receive an Award of Distinction, and scores between 70 and 80 receive an Award of Merit. “When port authorities communicate strategically with their many audiences, including their communities, business leaders and policymakers, they’re better able to show their tremendous value as drivers of economic development, environmental

enhancement and job creation,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. “This competition helps our member ports by rewarding effective communications and highlighting best practices and lessons learned.” The 2017 AAPA Communications Awards Program, which had a May 1 deadline for entries, utilized 29 professional public relations practitioners from the Washington, D.C. area who cumulatively spent nearly 120 hours over two weeks judging the 15 classifications of entries, ranging from advertisements and periodicals to videos and websites. Based on the number of points awarded each entry by the judges, three of the 93 entries earned an Overall Award of Communications Excellence trophy, while 18 entries earned an Award of Excellence, 41 entries scored an Award of Distinction, and 22 entries netted an Award of Merit. •

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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E

STRENGTHENING AND FORTIFYING THE MARITIME INDUSTRY

B y W illiam K alec

Army Corps of Engineers’ contributions, conservation and construct play vital roles in Prosperous waterway commerce Traversing through the Port of South Louisiana

hen trying to articulate the impact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has on the overall health and vigor of our maritime economy, numbers speak louder than words. — $4.6 billion. That’s the amount of revenue companies on the lower Mississippi River create annually through commercial navigation…commercial navigation made possible by using Corps created and maintained aquatic infrastructure. — 18,700. That’s the amount of maritime industry jobs along the lower Mississippi River directly reliant on thriving commercial navigation…commercial navigation made possible by using Corps created and maintained aquatic infrastructure. — 53,525. That’s the number of farms dotting the lower Mississippi River that are protected by levees engineered by the Corps. — 12 and 108. Respectively, those are the number of major oil refineries and power plants protected by levees engineered by the Corps. — 292 million. That’s the amount of tonnage that passes through the Port of South Louisiana annually, making it the largest port in the Western Hemisphere…a distinction that wouldn’t be possible without the Corps supporting the maritime infrastructure of the Mississippi River and beyond. 20

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“The Corps’ mission is to deliver vital public and military engineering services — partnering in peace and war to strengthen our Nation’s security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disaster,” says Corps Public Affairs Officer Rene Poche. “(It’s) made up of 37,000 civilian and military personnel, making it one of the world’s largest public engineering, design and construction management agencies.” Though not created solely for this purpose, the Corps, since its inception, essentially sets the stage for the country’s maritime industry to flourish. This is accomplished in a myriad of ways, from geographic-specific projects (a closeto-home example being regular dredging of the lower Mississippi River to allow larger vessels safe passage), to maintenance and improvement of Corps-created projects (such as the locks system of the upper Mississippi River — the main artery of agricultural maritime commerce). “The Corps is responsible for operating and maintaining federally authorized navigation

channels for the safe and efficient transit of maritime traffic,” says Vic Landry, the Corps’ Operations Manager. “It is a much more cost efficient to move commodities via water than rail or truck, so this reduces impacts to the public on highways. The oil, gas and chemical industries are reliant on navigation for moving their products to market, and we have many refineries located on the Mississippi River corridor.” There are two main ways in which the Corps assists (well, more than assists) in keeping waterway commerce a desirable option for businesses — operating the lock system of the upper Mississippi River, and dredging portions of the lower Mississippi River. The northern portion of the Mississippi River runs right through the heart of America’s breadbasket – states like Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. These states produce a large share of U.S. agricultural exports, namely corn, wheat, soy, various grains and beans. But getting those products to deep-draft ports in Louisiana via the Mississippi River wouldn’t be possible without the intricate lock system the Army Corps created in the 1930s. Consisting of 29 locks – all located in the upper half of the Mississippi River – this “Stairway of Water” maintains a nine-foot channel on the river from the Minnesota Twin Cities to St. Louis. The Corps operates all Mississippi River locks and in recent years (thanks to additional federal funding) has begun to make repairs and improvements to the existing locks and dams infrastructure. South of St. Louis, the Corps’ efforts along the Mississippi River focus mainly on dredging – clearing out sediment build up that occurs naturally from minerals flowing downstream so that navigation channels can still be used safely. Down here, most dredging is performed

by “The Wheeler” – the largest hopper dredge in the Army Corps’ fleet. The vessel, which is operated by the New Orleans District of the Army Corps of Engineers, travels from Brownsville, Texas to South Florida but spends most of its time working the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, specifically dealing with shoaling problems that happen in both high and low water. When operable, The Wheeler functions 24 hours a day and is manned by 38 civil service mariners that work “two on/two off” much like oil rig workers. During down periods, The Wheeler is docked so it can be refueled, re-supplied and receive maintenance. However, it’s capable of responding to any dredging emergency within three days. How does The Wheeler work? In layman’s terms, The Wheeler is like a giant vacuum cleaner and is capable of removing 100,000

cubic yards of material a day. For a better visual, that’s 7,000 dump truck loads. Of that, 60 percent of the material dredged from Southwest Pass is reused to rebuild marshland and wildlife habitats in coastal Louisiana. Environmental awareness is also a key aspect of the Corps’ Regulatory Program, which examines new development and grants permits on all construction projects that occur on the nation’s waterways. “Initially, it served a fairly simple, straightforward purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the Nation’s waters,” Poche says. “Time, changing public needs, evolving policy, case law and new statutory mandates have changed the complexion of the program, adding to its breadth, complexity and authority. (However) The Regulatory Program is (still) committed to protecting the Nation’s aquatic resources and navigation capacity.” • w w w. p o r t s l . c o m | Fa l l 2 0 1 7

C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E

PORTS TO THE POWER OF ONE B y W illiam K alec

Ports Association of Louisiana – a unified advocacy council for the maritime industry SPEAKING for all ports in the state

t’s 9:30 a.m., on a typical Tuesday morning. Like many days, Gary LaGrange is mid-sentence in the middle of a story, this one about the genesis of the Ports Association of Louisiana, the advocacy group of which he’s the executive director. Able to paint a picture without picking up a brush, LaGrange gives color and life to what you’d expect to be a beige tale. Even more impressive, while doing that he expertly stays on message. That’s the reason the Ports Association of Louisiana was formed 33 years ago – to stay on message. “You look at us back in the beginning, we were a bunch of young ragtag collection of port directors, but we all figured out that there would be power in our numbers,” says LaGrange, the 22

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40-year maritime industry veteran and recently retired CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “Separately our message might get lost, forgotten or even convoluted. But unified, we’d be on point and clear. “And that’s what we do: represent all the ports in a unified effort from the legislative standpoint, function standpoint and an operational standpoint.” LaGrange continues. “And we found out that works better than meeting each other head-on in a combative mode when we go to Baton Rouge and try to accomplish anything we need to accomplish — things important to the overall health of the industry.” All 32 Louisiana ports (a mix of deepdraft, coastal, inland and developing ports) represent the core membership of the Ports Association, but not exclusively. Other members include both businesses within the

Gary P. LaGrange, Executive Director, Ports Association of Louisiana

maritime industry and those that support it indirectly such as consulting firms, shipping agencies, river pilots associations, construction companies, railroads, and government agencies like the Department of Transportation & Development, Department of Economic Development, Department of Treasury and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. LaGrange says the variety of representation within the Ports Association’s membership speaks to the impact maritime commerce has on both a micro and macro level. “You look at ports like the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana… those aren’t city ports, those aren’t even state or regional ports, those are Ports of National Significance,” LaGrange says. “The beneficial geographic location of these ports, and all the ports in Louisiana, and the jobs they help create or support, makes issues involving the ports issues that are important to the entire local community and country.” From the time the Ports Association was founded up to the present day, its overall missions haven’t changed much, even though the way ports do business has certainly transformed with technological advancements over the last three decades. The Ports Association formulates common positions on policies or potential legislation that affects its industry, enabling them to deliver a unified viewpoint when meeting with lawmakers and influencers. The organization also tries to initiate measures that benefit the entire membership to intergovernmental entities, promotes a positive image of the ports in print, TV and other electronic media, and it promotes academic research and educational interest in the ports and marine sectors – all of which makes sense. What’s a little surprising, though, is the healthy environment the Association has nurtured between the Louisiana ports to freely exchange information, new techniques and/or technologies relating to development, logistical organization, administrative practices and overall management. “Ever since 1984, when our organization was created, there are no secrets anymore,” LaGrange says. “We’re a family — that’s the best word I can think of — and as a family we tend to share information and ideas, even if it’s with a competing port. Because in Louisiana, the competition is minimal, there’s maybe a small overlap, but that’s

The cover of the fall issue of Port Log depicts the Ports Association of Louisiana’s “Ship Louisiana” campaign that took place in the early 1990s. Photo credit: Ports Association of Louisiana

very, very minimal. For an example, a lot of people think a place like Houston would be a big competitor with the Louisiana Mississippi River ports. That’s just not true. “So at the end of the day, that environment allows us to all work together, to share ideas, and that’s something we do freely when we meet once a month.” Currently, the Ports Association is waving the flag for a variety of front-burner issues improving public works projects like widening access roads and connectors from the Ports to nearby highways. Funding for those improvements would come from a bill proposed earlier this year that would impose a 17-cent tax per gallon on fuel in Louisiana, thus raising more than $500 million annually for roads, bridges, ports and waterways and multimodal infrastructure projects.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Each month, port directors, or their representatives, along with associate members attend a Ports Association of Louisiana meeting to discuss issues involving the maritime industry.

The Ports Association also continues to speak about the importance of continued dredging efforts in the lower Mississippi River. “That’s priority number one,” LaGrange says. “You can have all the money in the world to build cranes, and new docks, and rail spurs and all these wonderful things. But if you can’t get to these things so you can utilize them, well, guess what? You’re out of business. So dredging is our No. 1 priority, no doubt about it. “There will always be things to improve upon, issues that affect our ports in Louisiana,” LaGrange said, later.” And when we organize as one entity — all together, as important as this port system is to the economy and to national security and national interest — then that’s just a great platform on which to stand and let your voice be heard.” For more information contact Candace Griffin, Association Manager at 225-334-9040. •

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PORT PEOPLE

Meet Aspen Murphy B y S ara h R avits

T he comm unity relations professional WH O spear head S more th an 80 events a year

ince hiring this charismatic, driven young professional, Marathon Petroleum Company has ramped up its outreach efforts to benefit the entire Port region. Helming the community relations at Marathon Petroleum Corporation is Aspen Murphy, an energetic, native of Vacherie whose career took many exciting turns at high-profile companies before she felt her Louisiana roots pulling her back home, in part because she wanted to give back to the community. After high school, Murphy attended Howard University in Washington, D.C, where she studied broadcast journalism and French. Upon graduating magna cum laude, Murphy began a career in communications,

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working for CNN, the Cannes Film Festival, Warner Brothers Music and others. Her experiences working with high-profile, fast-paced companies also prepared her to handle community relations for Marathon Petroleum n Garyville, LA — the thirdlargest refinery in the United States. Murphy returned because she wanted to positively impact the area where she grew up — an area that she also praises for its resilience. “I’ve worked through four natural disasters in six years,” she said, citing hurricanes, multiple tornadoes that affected the refinery, and the massive flood in August of 2016. “Each time, we’ve banded together to help not just our employees, but our community in need.”

“[Working at Marathon] is a wonderful opportunity to give back,” she said. “It’s almost like I’m a professional volunteer. I work with many nonprofits to help fundraise and organize activities that may not happen without Marathon’s support. It’s incredibly fulfilling.” She explains that although a community relation has “always” been important to Marathon Petroleum, in recent years the company has ramped up its efforts. Murphy now spearheads and organizes around 80 annual events, including providing monetary donations, facilitating mentorship to area youth, and working alongside local nonprofits throughout the region. Her former career in journalism has been particularly beneficial, she said.

“Working in journalism prepares you to adapt to any situation, and it definitely helped me to prepare for the community. This job was created, and I’m the first person to hold this position.” Among her main objectives are meetings with community stakeholders and figuring out the needs of the region’s citizens. “You have to stay objective, and find out all sides of the story, then design a story based on the information you’ve obtained,” she explains. “I have to figure out what the members of the community need, then design a community relations strategic plan based on that.” One highly anticipated event this year is the company’s inaugural career fair, set to take place this November. For the past several months, Murphy and her colleagues have been coordinating this event that intends to inspire seventh graders to consider joining the company after completing their education. “All of the seventh graders in the St. John public schools will come on-site, and we will take them through ‘a day in the life’ of a Marathon Petroleum employee,” explains Murphy. This allows the students to meet and receive mentorship on areas from staff members in different departments, including engineering, administration, accounting, chemistry, and maintenance. “At the end of the day, [the students] can decide which career path is the most interesting to them, and then we’ll give them further information that allows them to see what kind of degree they might need to go into the specific field,” that most appeals to them, Murphy said. The company is motivated to not only retain the area’s population, but also to promote growth, and inspire the young residents by getting them to think about their future careers, and foster opportunities to motivate them to succeed in school. “We want the kids who grow up here to stay here, and we want to work as hard as we can to encourage them to learn from us, and find something here at Marathon that they really like,” Murphy said. Another one of Marathon Petroleum’s most beneficial yearly events is an annual “Backpack Extravaganza,” which also helps younger children in the area. “We

Opposite Page: Aspen speaking to the dual enrollment students Top Right: Aspen and SJB Parish Economic Development Director Jerry Jones: Andouille Festival October 2016 Bottom right: Photos taken by Aspen in St. James Parish after the tornadoes in February 2016 when gators were provided to aid in search efforts.

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PORT PEOPLE work with several entities in the parish, including the event organizer Blessed to be a Blessing and St. John United Way, along with elected officials and the district attorney’s office,” Murphy said. During this time, the company donates school supplies and the event provides free health screenings. The event also provides pupils with backpacks, snacks, drinks and games in a festive atmosphere that increases excitement among youth for their upcoming school year. In its early stages, Marathon Petroleum’s backpack program benefited about 90 children; this year, Murphy said by partnering with the organizations mentioned above, the Backpack Extravaganza helped more than a thousand children from around the region. This fall, Murphy and her colleagues at Marathon Petroleum will maintain a busy schedule with a variety of upcoming events, including sponsoring the Veterans Day Parade at the Southeast War Veterans Home and serving meals at the Council on Aging. While Murphy undoubtedly helms these outreach efforts, she humbly acknowledges that her colleagues also offer tremendous help and insight. “I work with 10 department managers,” she explains. “Each department puts on an event, so that way we can get each department to go out into the community.” She said she is impressed by the creative ideas that many of her colleagues develop. In addition to their daily job duties, Marathon Petroleum’s employees often brainstorm ways in which they can help others. For example, an employee in the safety department came up with the idea for an “AdoptA-Troop” initiative during the holiday season. This year will be Marathon Petroleum’s fourth year delivering holiday packages to Louisiana troops stationed abroad. Additionally, the company also delivers turkeys to people’s houses during Thanksgiving and provides thousands of meals. Murphy is also proud of the company’s ongoing disaster relief efforts. During the Baton Rouge area flooding last year, Marathon Petroleum donated $250,000, served nearly 1,000 meals and donated supplies for more than 200 families following flooding natural disaster. It also boosts morale by contributing to the region’s celebratory side; for example, Marathon Petroleum is also the title sponsor of the Andouille Festival this October. Murphy concludes, “We have a huge footprint in the region, and we want to help the people here as much as we can.” • Top: ESJHS Principal Tabari Smith, Aspen Murphy, Penny Freeman - SCLTC Dean, President Robottom and Superintendent Kevin George spoke to the students about the dual enrollment program in partnership with the St. John Parish School Board, SCLTC and MPC MIDDLE: This was the second year that Marathon sponsored the Honor Roll Round Up, which invited honor roll students to a day at the carnival. Over 600 students in grades 1-12 were invited to the event. BOTTOM: On May 31, 2017, Sheriff Mike Tregre was presented a $7,500 check for the St. John Sheriff’s Office Body Armor Fund from Marathon Petroleum. This contribution was the result of the LRD being named a Finalist for Marathon’s 2016 President’s Award for Responsible Care. The Sheriff’s Office has raised $32,000 of their $75,000 goal. On hand for the check presentation were (front, l to r) Deputy Jenni Estraca, Aspen Murphy and Megan Hudson of Marathon, Sheriff Mike Tregre, Marathon General Manager Tracy Case, Deputy David Samson, and Chief Steve Guidry; and (back, l to r), Bill Simoni of Marathon, Sgt. Quentin Nicholas and Fritz Kin of Marathon.

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P O R Tr a i t s

TOP: The Port’s Executive Regional Airport hosted a Pilots N Paws Fly In last month where various animal rescue organizations and area shelters met with volunteer pilots who give their time and resources to provide transportation for unwanted animals to other parts of the country where they are either already adopted or have a better chance of being adopted. Pilots N Paws is a 501c3 organization. For more information, visit www.pilotsnpaws.org. MIDDLE LEFT: Eric Landry with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson is pictured with Commission President D. Paul Robichaux and Executive Director Paul Aucoin while inking the deal on the purchase of the Crescent and Homeplace Plantation property, a 1,684-acre site in St. James Parish. MIDDLE RIGHT: Marine Ops Engineer, Shawn Hidalgo (left) is pictured here with James Nance, a 77-year-old gentleman who had ridden his boat down from Steele, Missouri, The 14-foot aluminum hull experienced mechanical problems. Port of South Louisiana’s Captain Zito and his crew gave Nance a ride to the Weber dock in Convent where he was reunited with his wife. The boat was towed back by a PSL Responder to the Reserve dock where it was given away by Nance. BOTTOM LEFT: Rusty Barkerding [pictured here with Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucion (right) and Associated Terminals Chairman David Fennelly (left) is President of Admiral Security Services and Chairman of the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners. Barkerding is this year’s recipient if the C. Alvin Bertel Award. Photo courtesy of: Peter G. Forest Photography

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P O R Tr a i t s

Rachel Perez, Senator Bill Cassidy’s office, along with Linda Prudhomme and Brian Cox, of the Port of South Louisiana, and Dawn Lopez, Zelijko Franks, and Sal Laciura from Associated Terminals toured the Port by boat after an overview of top priority issues were presented by Paul Aucoin.

Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucoin (second from the right) and commission President D. Paul Robichaux (left) attended the Bastille Day Celebrations at the New Orleans Museum of Art. They are pictured here with consulate General of France in Louisiana, Grégor Trumel and Vice-Consul Olivia Lami.

BELOW: Guys Achieving Goals founders Paul Green and Cedric Grimes were presented a plaque in recognition of their successful achievement in organizing the 1st Annual St. John Parish Aviation Awareness Month held at the Port’s Executive Regional Airport. Pictured are: (L-R) Paul Aucoin, Port Executive Director; D. Paul Robichaux, Port Commission President; Paul Green, Guys Achieving Goals, Cedric Grimes, Guys Achieving Goals and Roy Quezaire, Port Deputy Director.

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INDUSTRY MAP

P ort of S o u t h

E x isting I nd u stry 1 Dupont / Dow 2 LaFarge Corporation 3 Motiva Enterprises – Convent 4 Air Products & Chemicals 5 Yara North America 6 Zen-Noh Grain 7 Nucor Steel Louisiana, LLC 8 Occidental Chemical 9 Convent Marine 10 Mosaic - Uncle Sam 11 ADM – Paulina 12 Louisiana Sugar Refinery 13 Noranda Aluminum 14 Rain CII 15 Pin Oak Terminals 16 Nalco/Ecolab 17 Evonik 18 Marathon Petroleum Corporation

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19 Pinnacle Polymers 20 Cargill Terre Haute Elevator / Bulk Liquid 21 ADM - Reserve 22 Globalplex Intermodal Terminal 23 Dupont Performance Elastomers 24 EI Dupont 25 Arcelor Mittal 26 Entergy / Little Gypsy 27 Momentive 28 Shell Chemical 29 Motiva Enterprises – Norco 30 Valero - St. Charles 31 ADM – Destrehan 32 Bunge North American 33 International Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) 34 ADM – Ama 35 Monsanto 36 Dow - St. Charles

37 Galata Chemicals 38 Occidental Chemical 39 Mosaic 40 Entergy / Waterford 1, 2, 3 41 Eurochem 42 Petroplex International, LLC 43 Yuhuang Chemical Company 44 Plains All American 45 Locap, Inc. 46 Shell Pipeline 47 NuStar 48 Syngas Energy 49 Ergon / Sun Fuel Midstream 50 South Louisiana Methanol 51 Marubeni Corporation (Gavilon) 52 INCA Refining 53 Americas Styrenics 54 Valero Asphalt

L o u isiana

Heavy I nd u strial S ites 55 Mosaic – Faustina 56 Associated Terminals Sunshine Midstream Buoy 57 Sunshine Anchorage 58 Associated Terminals Midstream Buoy 59 Ryan Walsh Stevedoring Midstream Buoy 60 Grandview Anchorage 61 St. John Fleet Midstream Buoy 62 Reserve Midstream Buoy 63 Reserve Anchorage 64 Capital Marine Tigerville Midstream Buoy 65 Gold Mine Fleet Midstream Buoy 66 CGB Midstream Buoy 67 Bonne Carré Anchorage 68 ADM Midstream Buoy 69 Ama Anchorage 70 Kenner Bend Anchorage

71 Ancient Domain - 225 acres 72 Balot & Whitehall - 240 acres; 980’ rf 73 Shady Grove - 231 acres; 1,690’ rf 74 Welham - 2,300 acres; 2,000’ rf 75 Hope Plantation - 283 acres; 1,500’ rf 76 Guidry Property - 84 acres 77 Airline Industrial Park - 1,100 acres 78 Davis Levert - 100 acres; 2,640’ rf 79 Esperanza Business Park - 650 acres 80 Home Place - 375 acres 81 Pelican-Occidental - 489 acres; 1,373’ rf 82 SoLaPort - 99 acres; 263’ rf 83 St. Charles Riverpark - 1,170+/- acres, 5,800‘ rf 84 Glendale Hymelia - 2,500 acres; 5,808’ rf 85 Whiterose - 300 acres; 854’ rf 86 Willow Bend - 2,200 acres; 6,000’ rf

87 Robert Brothers Farm - 1,582 acres; 8,448’ rf 88 Goodwill Plantation - 500 acres; 1,500’ rf 89 Succeed - 100 acres; 384’ rf 90 Rich Bend Plantation - 500 acres; 1,300‘ rf 91 Zeringue / St. Emma - 1,464 acres; 2,254’ rf 92 Savanah - 381 acres; 1,954’ rf 93 Minnie & St. Louis - 900 acres; 2,482’ rf 94 St. Alice - 321 acres; 670‘ rf 95 Winchester / Acadia - 1,490 acres; 2,403’ rf 96 Elina - 406 acres; 520’ rf 97 Dunhill - 51 acres; 1,100’ rf

w w w. p o r t s l . c o m | Fa l l 2 0 1 7

FINAL FRAME

The Port of South Louisiana staff and commissioners offer our prayers to those who have lost so much in the past two hurricanes. We know that you will rebuild and come back stronger and more resilient. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.â&#x20AC;? - Mario Fernandez

Photo by Alex Hernandez

F A L L 2 0 1 7 | P ort of S o u t h L o u isiana