CONTENT
P O R T S TA F F
executive director
deputy director
c h i e f
Dale Hymel, Jr. Cindy Martin
director of a d m i n i s t r at i o n
Roy Quezaire
o p e r at i n g o f f i c e r
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
Melissa Folse Grant Faucheux
projects officer
director of trade development
Linda Prudhomme
Brian Cox Tamara Kennedy
Joel T. Chaisson
Lee “Buddy” Amedee
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.
10 PHOTO CREDIT: SOUTHPORT AGENCIES
4 5 6
8
director ’ s log
16
overview
Effective to the Corps The link between the Consular Corps and Louisiana
around the port River Parishes Light Up the Mississippi whats new
Meet the Plant Manager Cal Williams
editor art director
Jessica DeBold Ali Sullivan
The Graders of the Grain Grain Inspection, packing and shipping
v i c e
president of sales
Colleen Monaghan
account executive
Tess Jones
Same Mission, New Methods The World Trade Center of New Orleans
Meet the Secretary Shawn Wilson
Champions of the Waterways Waterways Council, Inc.
Customized Solutions: Globalplex Expansion
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Taking Off: Executive Regional Airport Plans
Aviation Awareness Day
Planting a Seed Ghislain Dadie
Louisiana Infrastructure Rankings
Employee Awards
26 30 32
port raits
Andrea Blumenstein William Kalec Jenny Peterson
To advertise call Tess at (504) 830-7239 or email Tess@myneworleans.com.
port map final frame
NOMINATE THE NEXT PORT PERSON 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.
SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
contributing writers
port people
Cover photo by Alex Hernandez
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published by renaissance publishing llc
company profiles
110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 • www.myneworleans.com
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
T
he first quarter of 2017 has been a busy one for the Port of South Louisiana. Total throughput increased by 21% in the first quarter of 2017 as compared to that of 2016, with over 84 million short tons of cargo moved via 1,279 vessels and 20,697 barges. This amount of cargo movement makes it even more imperative that we secure funding for the Mississippi River Shipping Channel Dredging Project. We need cargo to keep moving swiftly and expeditiously. I am proud to say that for our part in those efforts, the Port of South Louisiana was recognized by the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum in Montreal, Canada, as the recipient of the infrastructure “Job Creation of the Year Award.” Dredging (or the lack thereof ) not only affects commerce but also the preservation and creation of good-paying jobs across the nation. Until the Mississippi River is properly deepened and maintained, I will continue to do my part in raising awareness for this national problem and will speak about it to whomever will listen. As a matter of fact, in mid-May, I took the opportunity to speak about dredging at the AAPA Commissioners Seminar in Indianapolis, Indiana. I want to extend my appreciation to our Louisiana delegation in Washington, D.C., particularly to 2017’s “AAPA Port Person of the Year,” Congressman Steve Scalise, for their continued support on this matter. Recap of other events during the last quarter: The Port of South Louisiana is happy to host groups or delegations that request a visit. In April, we hosted a delegation from Brazil that was in New Orleans attending the Gulf Coast Trade Alliance: Doing Business in Brazil conference. We shared information regarding terminal operations, dredging, marine operations and security, and economic development. A few weeks later, we showcased the Port of South Louisiana to a group from the World Trade Center of New Orleans, which included board members and several consul generals. During their visit, the group was given a bus tour of Globalplex Intermodal Terminal and a boat tour of a portion of the Port’s jurisdiction. On May 6, the Port of South Louisiana and the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport had the pleasure of hosting the first St. John
D. Paul Robichaux president
Pat Sellars vice president
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the Baptist Parish Aviation Awareness Day. The event, organized and sponsored by Paul Green and Guys Achieving Goals, was planned with the goal of introducing the youth of the region to flying and the field of aviation, which offers a spectrum of academic disciplines and career paths, such as engineering and mathematics. Open to the general public, those interested were treated to airplane rides while others perused the display of specialty vehicles. Not only did the event have a good turn-out, but it provided itself as a great opportunity to educate the community about the existence of the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport. During the second week in May, the Port of South Louisiana joined forces with St. John the Baptist Parish to promote National Economic Development Week, an event created and coordinated by the International Economic Development Council to increase awareness for local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, spur economic growth, and increase the quality of life. The Port hosted a breakfast at Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport, during which officials took the opportunity to tout the region’s economic development activity and promote the economic impact of resident industry on the community. On May 23, the Port of South Louisiana held a ribbon cutting ceremony that marked the official opening of the expansion to warehouse #19 at Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. The 77,520 square-foot annex was designed to improve functionality and increase storage of the original 35,000 squarefoot warehouse. BARTON International, a tenant of Globalplex since 2006, will use the larger structure for its garnet abrasive operation. In closing, I would like to thank Iowa Public Television’s “Market to Market” for reaching out and including the Port of South Louisiana in their report about coastal restoration efforts in Southeast Louisiana. As presented in the report, dredging to deepen and maintain the Mississippi is actually symbiotic to coastal restoration: dredging allows for commerce to remain stable, reliable, and competitive while the material removed from the bottom of the channel can replenish the marshes and wetlands of coastal Louisiana. It’s a win-win for our state and the nation. •
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
vice president
vice president
vice president
SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
OVERVIEW
T R A N S P O R TAT I O N CENTER OF THE AMERICAS
MAiZE 14.3 (17%)
COAl/l igNiTE/COK E
69.6
OTHER 0.45 (<1% )
1.8 (2%)
72.72
sTEEl PRODUCT s
68.16
OREs/PHOsPHATE ROCK 1.6 (2%)
74.27
84.14
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.
WHEAT 0.7 (<1%) sORgHUM
25.0 20.08 20.45
2017
15.04
2016
17.94
18.62
16.24
16.09 17.57 2015
2014
20.29 ANiMAl fEED 4.4 (5%)
14.6 (17%)
13.71
2013
NUMbER Of vEssEl CAlls: 1,279 NUMbER Of bARgE MOvEMENTs: 20,697
PETROCHEMiCAls
16.44
)
19.0
sOybEAN 12.4 (15%)
FIRST QUARTER 2017 ( iN MilliON sHORT TONs
17.3
19.67
8.1 (10% )
20.37
22.04
fERTiliZERs
18.57
CHEMiCAls/
19.98
17.49
4.8 (6%)
PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA T O TA L T O N N A G E (IN MILLIONS OF SHORT TONS)
0.4 (<1% )
CRUDE Oi l 21.0 (25% )
EXPORTS
DOMESTIC SHIPPED
IMPORTS
DOMESTIC RECEIVED
m i ss i on
p h i losop h y
fac i l i t i es
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.
go v er n a n ce 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 l a rgest port d i str i ct 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 ground, and visitors who are planning to see more of Plantation Country for a full weekend should take advantage of the plantation’s central location in the heart of New Orleans Plantation Country and make their stay at the bed & breakfast cottages. And, with no need for a driver to get to the cottage, have another drink or two. In a land so ripe with history and tradition, there are a few summer events that wake the slumbering population to come together to honor important themes in Louisiana culture.
River Parishes Light up the Mississippi B y A n d rea B l u menste i n
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iver Road, the byway in Louisiana that follows the Mississippi as it carves through the fertile soil between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, is speckled with remnants of the Old South. Deftly restored antebellum plantations built along the river span the route, many of which are open for tours. The view today is considerably different with the additions of the levee system to channel the course of the mighty river and the Bonnet Carré Spillway. In the summer months when heat and humidity can be nearly anesthetizing, a driving excursion through Plantation Country is rewarded with culture, history and refreshing treats along the way.
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Cool Off Summertime is the unofficial “Snowball Season” as the South doesn’t abide by nature’s four-season stipulation. In the River Parishes, in addition to hunting, Mardi Gras, Lenten, and Crawfish Season (to name a few), visitors and locals rejoice over the multitude of locally owned snowball stands. As with many regional treats, almost all locals have a favorite for one reason or another. But, for the weekend traveler, almost any will do. Snowballs are distinct in
SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
that they feature shaved – not crushed – ice as the base. Most snowball stands across Louisiana use homemade syrups, so patrons can expect a range of unique flavors from Cajun Red Hot to Praline, or bubble gum. “Add cream” if you’d like your fluffy ice treat topped with sweetened condensed milk. A stop at the Laura Plantation, built around the “Plantation Memoirs” of Laura Lacoul, a young Creole girl who grew up on the plantation, allows visitors a tour focusing on the women, children and slaves who kept the sugar plantation running. Tours run until 4 p.m., promising a firstperson account, estate records and original artifacts. Narratives pulled from Laura’s diary and artifacts from the slave quarters provide intimate details about family fights, plantation life, and the agony of slavery. A three-mile drive west brings visitors to Oak Alley Plantation, a French-Creole plantation showcasing one of the remarkable examples of Greek Revival Architecture. After a full day of touring, marvel at the quartermile avenue of 28 giant, live oaks leading up to the namesake house. Oak Alley is known for their mint juleps, which can also be made “virgin” for the younger visitors. The restaurant at Oak Alley Plantation is housed in a 19th century cottage on the
Juneteenth Celebration Collective memory suggests that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with his signature when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on Jan. 1, 1863. For residents of Texas and states like Louisiana and Arkansas, they honor another day, Juneteenth. The holiday is a second Independence Day that celebrates General Gordon Granger’s 1865 affirmation of the law in Texas, where many slave-owners fled with their slaves in tow in defiance of the federal government. Usually celebrated on the Saturday nearest to June 19 the day of the general’s order, Juneteenth has experienced highs and lows over the decades. In recent history, the largest celebrations have occurred in San Francisco, CA, and Minneapolis, MN. Louisiana is adding a new celebration to the calendar thanks to the new vision of the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, LA. The Whitney Plantation stands out among the other estates dotting River Road and the Mississippi because, unlike the other attractions, the tour at Whitney is a somber experience. Guests are not led by character actors depicting the daily life around a plantation, but presented with some of the hard truths of the cost – both physical and emotional – of the great sugar plantation on the enslaved people who worked the field and the house. On June 17, 2017, Whitney Plantation will host their first Juneteenth Celebration Festival. The Saturday events will speak to the holiday’s incarnation as both a commemoration of the efforts of General Granger and his troops and a celebration of our commitment to continue to make the right choices to promote freedom for all. The Whitney Plantation will be a celebratory place the Saturday of Juneteenth with food and craft vendors, musical
performances and educational activities. The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with highlights including performances by local church choirs, a performance by New Orleans-based jazz/gospel vocalist Linda Wright, and the Congo Square Drum Society. In anticipation of Father’s Day, the inaugural event will also feature a father and son (mentor/mentee) barbeque contest during the event.
Louisiana Catfish Festival The Des Allemands community, once proclaimed “Catfish Capital of the Universe” by state legislature, hosts their annual Catfish Festival from June 23 (starting at 5 p.m.) through June 25 (wrapping at 8 p.m.) at St. Gertrude Catholic Church, 17292 Louisiana 631. A big turnout is expected for this free festival that boasts live music, pay-one-price rides, the crowning of the Catfish Princess and, of course, a lot of food. The community has hosted this event for over 40 years, and attendees can expect to fill up on catfish platters, po-boys and boulettes along with jambalaya, funnel cakes and snowballs. There is a country store and plant booth on-site as well. Festival proceeds benefit St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church. Des Allemands literally translates to “of the Germans,” and the German history in this region is celebrated weekly at the German Coast Farmer’s Market. For those who can’t make it out to the Festival (or for those who can’t get enough) the weekly market honors the German tradition of living off the land with a range of fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and other locally made products. The music lineup includes The Molly Ringwalds on the June 23, Chee Wheez on June 24 and Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition on June 25. Verify on the event’s website in advance to stay up-to-date on any changes. Independence Day The River Parishes light up the Mississippi with annual celebration of the Fourth of July on both the East and the West bank. Annual events hosted in both St. John Parish and St. Charles Parish brings families out en-mass in patriotic celebration. In St. John Parish, St. Peter’s Church on the East Bank and St. John the Baptist Church on the West Bank offer two views of their annual fireworks display. Both churches will offer food and entertainment on July 3, 2017. The fireworks and music start at 9 p.m. and the event is filmed and broadcast live on the Government Access Channel. At St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard, festivities also include raising the U.S. flag and a balloon release along with their annual fundraiser featuring local favorites like jambalaya, chicken wings and sweets. Interviews with Parish Officials, members of the St. John Theatre, Festival Queens, and community leaders will takeplace onsite throughout the event. In St. Charles Parish, the annual celebration on July 3 takes place from 6-9 p.m. The Bucktown Allstars will perform at the event, hosted at West Bank Bridge Park. At the time of press, further details about food and entertainment are pending from Parish representatives. •
OPPOSITE PAGE: Alligator Festival in St. Charles Parish TOP: Laura Plantation MIDDLE: Cajun Pride Swamp Tours BOTTOM: Oak Alley Plantation
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M E E T T H E P L AN T M ANA G E R Director of Gulf Operations for Bunge North America oversees logistics, production and manpower at the Port of South Louisiana with a new dock to facilitate enhancements in the global producer-to-consumer food chain. B y A n d rea B l u menste i n
A
career of experience working in agribusiness, both along the river and at mammoth terminal elevators inland, enables Cal Williams, Director of Gulf Operations, to oversee the 24/7 operations at Bunge Grain Elevator in Destrehan, Louisiana. Here, his role is dynamic. As one of Bunge North America’s busiest ports, the company estimates that over 60% of their United States agriculture exports leave through the Port of South Louisiana. “A huge piece of our business is the logistics piece,” said Williams. “Around 98% of the grain that we unload comes in via barge from facilities up the Mississippi River. We have a lot of barges en route to us daily so we have to manage quality and quantity against what vessel is coming in to load next.” This streamlined, flexible logistics schema relies on a strong line of communication. For Williams, the workday kicks off with a “change over” meeting at 6:30 a.m. The meeting is so important that, Williams jokes, “If I miss that meeting, I miss half of the day.” Beyond just logistics and managing customer needs, the Director of Gulf Operations oversees the entire operation from production to safety to Human Resources. “Managing people is probably one of my toughest challenges. We have 110 employees here and you’ve got different people from all walks of life and you have to manage each person as an individual, not as a collective group.” Despite the challenges, it seems that Williams’ awareness of the different types of people that are drawn to work in such a demanding field also lends to his success as a leader. Leadership skills began developing at a young age. For Williams, growing up on a small farm in Mississippi imparted the strength of character necessary to work in the demanding agriculture industry.
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SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
“My father, Carl,” he said, “Was not only a father but a mentor and a friend. He taught me the value of work. He said, ‘Work hard, be honest, and that will take you a long way in life.’” The family moved to “town,” Clarksdale, MS, when he was 12. In 1989, a youthful Williams went to work for ADM Grain in Memphis, TN on the river. “This industry is all I know,” he says. “This [Bunge Grain] is my ninth move. I’ve gone from really bad to some of the best in the country.” In May 2017, Bunge Grain tested their newly constructed ship dock that will replace the original, constructed in the early 1960s. “Currently we are only running it at night,” says Williams. “It is an unbelievable piece of equipment. We have three spouts to load ships with; before, there were 8 but small and antiquated.” “This new ship dock is definitely going to be environmentally friendly,” says Williams. “There is zero dust emissions so we are all really excited about it.” It is still in testing mode, but Williams and the leadership team expect the improvements to be great for business. Safety procedures have progressed leaps and bounds in the past 30 years, and Bunge Grain is no exception. “We want people to go home safe every day to their families,” he says. Williams also oversees ARROP, a reliability management system that helps ensure equipment is in good shape, preventing breakdowns. A lot has changed in the agriculture industry during Williams’ career. “Everything is more about speed. It is about being able to put out more volume. When I started, you used to have a lot of elevators lifting 10,000 bushels per hour. Now everything is bigger. Everyone is in
A lifetime in agriculture allows Cal Williams to meld his farming and logistics expertise with the new technology streamlining the industry today.
a hurry; 30 years ago they’d [farmers] just as soon stand around, talk and carry on.” Williams is working to embrace change while imparting the community and family mentality of the past. This July, he will celebrate 25 years of marriage to his wife, Tracie. They have two kids together, neither going into the business. Cal seems comfortable with being the last generation. “I’ve had a long road,” he says. “It is a very demanding business that requires a lot of time. Especially when I was at inland facilities. During harvest season you work 7 days a week for however long the harvest lasts. It is a lot of long hours, a lot of time away from family. This business is not for everyone.” •
WHA T ’ S N E W
M eet t h e S ecretar y Appointee Brings Fresh Perspective to the DOTD B y A n d rea B l u menste i n
A seasoned veteran in the Department of Transportation but not so set in his ways as to be considered a “lifer,” Dr. Shawn Wilson looks to shake things up with a focus on new funding and developing a multimodal infrastructure.
W
hen Dr. Shawn Wilson took stock of his academic career, what he saw was a clear path toward administrative leadership. This foundation – his education – would later develop into a deep-rooted commitment to public service, one that would guide his decisions moving forward. In an earlier draft, the current Secretary of the Department of Transportation was slated to become a nurse. Though his academic career began in the health sciences, Dr. Wilson later transitioned to Urban and Regional Planning at University of Louisiana where he earned a B.A. He then went on to earn both his Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Urban Affairs from Southern University.
After ten consecutive years at DOTD, Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed Dr. Wilson to his current role as Secretary of the Department of Transportation on January 11, 2016. If you asked Dr. Wilson when he started at the department, the current secretary would not put himself in this role. But, “as a non-engineer,” it turns out that his fresh perspective is just what the backlogged department needs. “I’ve always been on the core decision making team…it gives me an historical perspective without being a lifer and allows me to shape policy and policy positions.” One of Dr. Wilson’s major projects was to secure federal FASTlane dollars for a major widening of I-10 from I-49 to New Orleans and the Baton Rouge I-10 bottleneck. “Timing is everything. We have to start moving in that direction because the cost of not doing it is much greater than doing it.” This refers to many of the delays in freight movement along the I-10 corridor and the Pontchartrain Expressway. “I saw a huge need and opportunity for someone who was not an engineer, who was not a product of the civil service system to bring a perspective to decision making so that we can make decisions outside of ourselves and not in a vacuum,” he says. He honors that by continuing his commitment to the human aspect. As an urban planner, he worked with citizens to build a successful habitat. “Ten years with government plus transportation brought clarity around a focus,” he says. “The consistency of transportation and development really brought me back home. Philosophically, you can’t have infrastructure without planning.” Dr. Wilson is a constant advocate for new revenue and advancing a balanced and comprehensive transportation policy
for Louisiana. The Port Priority Program serves as an opportunity to create value and jobs through the State’s investment in the 32 ports around Louisiana. “This administration has doubled its funding,” he says. “Thirty-eight million dollars that doesn’t go that far…we are looking forward to doing more to increase that program.” “It has been thirty years and we are way behind 47 other states in terms of how progressive our system is. We need to work with federal partners because inter-state commerce requires federal government support for funding. At the state level, we can’t do today for 16 cents what we did 30 years ago for that amount. Today, the value of that 16 cents is about seven cents.” The future looks positive under the direction of Wilson. “We need to be more strategic in our program,” he says. “We need to be aware of where we are competing and asking, ‘Are we competing against ourselves here?’” Part of the problem, he explains, is that many people are still operating as though the department is still the nowretired umbrella title of “Department of Highways and Bridges.” Before his appointment, only a small amount of resources were being deployed to promote multimodal transportation inclusive of transit, port, rail and aviation. “Infrastructure and economic opportunity has to do with connectivity and mobility. If we have great bridges and great roads but no way to connect to containers, no way to connect to freight, we failed. Time is money and you’ve got to look at the entire line of business,” he says. “As a state, we need to work to address a corridor and a line of business as opposed to a destination.” •
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WHA T ’ S N E W
Customized solutions B y J enn y P eterson
Building 19 expansion at Globalplex Intermodal Facility helps streamline client operations
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he Port of South Louisiana is celebrating the completion of its newest expansion at the world-class 335-acre Globalplex Intermodal Terminal facility in Reserve, Louisiana. The expansion of Building 19 is a custombuilt 67,000-square-foot expansion that will help streamline operations for a long-time port client to be more efficient and cost-effective. With the addition, the building’s total footprint now offers 122,000 square feet of space for bulk processing, distribution, storage and more – all under one roof. “Associated Terminals has had a long-term relationship with one particular customer, and we are offering this service to that company. The customer had operations spread out between numerous buildings, and this new facility allows for consolidation of operation into one location. It was custom-designed to handle bulk materials with considerably more efficiencies. It’s specifically designed for specialty dry bulk processing and distribution, based on how the product arrives,” said Barry
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SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
Hoth, with Associated Terminals, which operates the Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. Hoth serves as vice-president of operations for Associated at the Port-owned Globalplex. The expansion has the capability to store various commodities in sectioned-off areas, which allows multiple products to be stored, such as finished general cargo, bulk cargo, and break-bulk cargo side by side. It also allows distribution to various inland modes of transportation. Other unique characteristics of Building 19’s expansion include heavy-duty floor load storage for up to 10,000 pounds per storage bin. “This building has six separate cement-walled storage bins. It’s more convenient and efficient, so clients can really utilize and maximize their square footage usage,” Hoth said. At the Globalplex Intermodal Terminal, a product can be shipped or received by ship, barge, truck or rail directly from the facility. Products include bulk, break-bulk, and containerized cargos. The expanded building is not only a state-
of-the-art structure, it’s also an indication of how the Port of South Louisiana accommodates clients’ needs in order to satisfy their needs and earn their business. The Globalplex Intermodal Terminal industrial park serves a number of clients who have specialized storage, shipping and processing needs. Globalplex Intermodal Terminal encompasses 335acres, with lots of room to expand. “We offer customized solutions at Globalplex; we are in the perfect position with area to grow. We can retrofit existing buildings or build new ones that are tailored to a customer’s needs,” Hoth said. “We will do anything we can to increase operational efficiencies and service our customers, whether it’s a new building or new specialized crane. We are always looking to partner with customers who need specialized solutions.” Paul Aucoin, executive director of the Port of South Louisiana, said the port is proud to offer these customized solutions. “The expansion of Building 19 helped us keep a company which had outgrown the warehouse they were in; by adding the expansion, we were able to keep them here,” Aucoin said. “Our goal is to keep our tenants happy. It’s a beautiful warehouse and very impressive.” Globalplex Intermodal Terminal continues to maintain a position as a world-class facility, with storage and warehousing, space for light manufacturing and a number of Foreign Trade Zone storage areas. Several logistics companies operate on-site to help move products quickly to market. The Globalplex redevelopment is guided by a master plan that focuses on today’s supply manufacturers and shippers. Flexibility, efficiency, and connectivity are always in mind with new construction, such as a cement facility, which features dome storage. “We try to accommodate anyone who wants to locate here,” Aucoin said. “At Globalplex, we have lots of available land, including 60 acres of certified-site space available. We can handle many more warehouses and industries.” He said the terminal provides a huge economic and development boost to the region. “We have 315 people who go to work there every day,” Aucoin said. “We’re doing a lot of improvements – over $56 million in improvements, including upgrading and keeping docks strengthened as well as investing in new cranes and buildings. You have to be competitive and keep tenants happy.” •
The $9.6 million warehouse expansion was funded partly (90%) by La DOTD Port Priority Trust Fund. The Expansion created 22 jobs and retained 19.
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WHA T ’ S N E W
Taking off
B y J enn y P eterson
The Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport has big plans on the horizon
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he Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport in Reserve serves as a prime location for corporate passengers doing business in all river parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. On any given day, a variety of airline passengers—from CEOs of corporations to business customers and their employees— discover the comfortable and convenient accommodations at the executive airport. “We service and support up to 25 aircraft daily, from single engine general aviation aircraft to large 15-passenger corporate jets,” said Vincent Caire, the airport’s director. “Our clients include customers of all kinds who travel on private aircraft rather than commercial airlines.” This includes many clients who fly into the area to do business with the Port of South Louisiana. The executive airport offers quicker service than typical commercial airlines, and has been adding hangar space to accommodate both corporate jets and private planes. With an expanded runway and new, expanded services, the airport is poised to become an even bigger asset to the region. “Four years ago, the runway was lengthened to 5,150 feet. This extension allows bigger aircraft to safely and regularly operate from our airport,” Caire said. “We have renovated our passenger terminal building to accommodate individuals and groups comfortably. We have added a new
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pilot’s lounge to allow flight crews to relax while waiting for passengers to complete their business activity in the area.” Roy Quezaire, Port of South Louisiana Deputy Director, said the airport’s location serves an important industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans for executives, decision makers and clients with out-of-state corporate offices. That includes Gov. John Bell Edwards, Louisiana ‘s chief executive, who Quezaire said flew into the executive airport twice this year. “We’re poised perfectly to accommodate that important client base. We are aiming to show them the deliverables we have as an airport,” Quezaire said. “The word is getting out in the aviation community that our fuel rates are competitive or actually lower than the competition, and we are beginning to see more traffic – more landings, more takeoffs. The amenities we are offering for pilots include accommodations with full reclining chairs, a big screen TV, a fireplace, and an office for them to do their work, as well as schedule other flights.” These added amenities are important to scheduling in determining flight crew times. “We also offer a courtesy crew vehicle right here when flights come in. Clients can request a vehicle to go to meetings, run errands or even get food if they want,” he said. “We have an agreement with Enterprise and Hertz for a rental car, and we can arrange that vehicle to be waiting for them at the airport.”
He said the airport is also offering light catering at the airport for meetings or business luncheons. “We’re putting these things in place to make pilots’ and passengers’ stays more comfortable,” Quezaire said. Additional expansion and improvements include a new passenger terminal and more hangar space for airplanes for both short-term and long-term leases. “We have a ‘good’ problem, which is the envy of many other airports: we have a great deal of airport real estate available for development,” Caire said. Quezaire adds, “We are about to open a new 10,000 square-foot transit hangar to service flights that fly in and stay overnight. With continued implementation of more added benefits, Quezaire said he hopes the airport continues to increase its client base as it stands apart as a timesaving tool for all levels of business clients, their executives and personnel. “It is the mission of the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport to serve these customers and support their saving of valuable time,” Caire said. “We stand apart from commercial airports. The difference is that our passengers are more likely to be home for dinner, especially after a day of business flying.” • The Port’s new 10,000 sq. dt hangar will be in operation soon.
fi rst annual st. joh n pari s h
Aviation Awareness Day The Port hosted a Guys Achieving Goals - sponsored event where over 160 area children were exposed to the aviation industry and given the opportunity to go up in an airplane with one of the volunteer pilots.
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WHA T ’ S N E W Port Attends Southern Business & Development Annual Round Table SB&D’s fourth annual Southern Economic Development Roundtable was held earlier this year at WaterColor Inn and Resort in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. More than 50 economic development professionals, including Linda Prudhomme, Port Business Development Director, attended from 13 different Southern states. SEDR is an invitationonly discussion among some of the finest economic development minds in the South.
D ID Y O U KN O W. . .
Louisiana’s Infrastructure Is Among The Top In The U.S. Louisiana’s superior transportation infrastructure includes: • Six interstate highways • Six Class 1 railroads • Six deepwater ports • Seven primary airports Louisiana is one of the only two states in the U.S. and the only one in the South where all six Class 1 railroads converge. Information provided by Louisiana Economic Development. OpportunityLouisiana.com
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EMPLOYEE Service AWARDS 1. Dan Taillon, 30 years of service 2. Lisa Braud, 25 years of service 3. Rhonda Berthelot, 10 years of service 4. Lee “Buddy” Amedee, 10 years of service 5. Dale Hymel, Jr., 5 years of service Missing: James Lumar, 15 years of service
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
EFFECTIVE TO THE CORPS
B y W i ll i am K alec
The link between the Consular Corps and Louisiana
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or nearly a quarter century, Greg Beuerman has been part of the Louisiana Consular Corps, even serving in various officers positions throughout the years. As you might have deduced from his last name, he’s got some German ancestry. He’s also got Irish ancestry. No branches of his family tree, however, stretch to Iceland. Yet since 1994 he’s been proud to be the Honorary Consul for that country, performing the day-today duties of the position with gusto and proudly waving the flag for its tourism and seafood industries whenever possible in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Confused? There’s a logical explanation. Beuerman, who runs a public relations/ marketing firm, was recommended by the Trade Council of Iceland to a client in the early 1990s, and was specifically tasked with connecting those officials with leaders of the Gulf seafood industry. Beuerman helped foster a relationship between his client and those local companies, landing tours of Louisiana-based oyster, crab and fish processing plants. “Everything went well, and soon thereafter — well, a couple years after — the Trade Council representative asked if I’d be willing to serve as the Honorary Consul for them for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama,” Beuerman says. “And it’s interesting, ever since dating back to middle school, I’ve always been fascinated with Iceland….It’s an amazing little Mighty Mouse of an economy. Amazing, resilient people who are extremely creative. And it’s been a great honor to work with them.” Iceland is one of roughly five dozen countries represented in the Louisiana Consular Corps, a collection of mostly Honorary Consuls who for the most part
Greg Beuerman
serve the same function as full-time Consuls and General Consuls. Down here, that means working closely with economic development organizations on all levels of government to foster trade opportunities and the exchange of goods and services between the country of the Consul and the Gulf South states. In addition, Consul Corps reps assist with the passport/ visas process, assist countrymen who get arrested or fall ill while here and often serve as representatives of their country at an array of civic occasions. The Louisiana Consular Corps maintains strong relationships with the World Trade Center of New Orleans, the Mayor’s Office of New Orleans and the Louisiana Dept. of Economic Development — building a bridge between industries abroad and regional leaders in hopes of harboring a partnership that will be beneficial both there and here. “Each of the Honorary Consuls fills a different role,” Beuerman says. “There are numerous consuls who are deeply involved in the shipping industry — Norway, Serbia, Brazil come to mind. So they have a deep understanding and engagement with the maritime community, as you might imagine. Others, their work tends to be more related to retail, consumer goods, technology. For example, a Japanese tech company might want to make an impact in the Gulf South. Then, you have roles like mine with Iceland where you’re looking for platforms for cultural and educational exchange to help promote tourism. “A lot of people ask me, ‘What’s Iceland like?’ And I answer somewhat tongue-incheek that it’s just like South Louisiana,” Beuerman continues. “And that draws a strange look, but in a way it’s true. Their economy is built on the same pillars as ours — tourism, fisheries and energy.”
Zhandra Mann (left), Jessica Steverson (right) of the World Trade Center in New Orleans and Constance Willems (middle), former Dean of the LA Consular Corps and Consul of the Netherlands discuss the publication of Louisiana and the World,” featuring import and export data and jobs created in Louisiana by the 56 countries with a consular representation in this state.
For Constance Willems, a New Orleans-based civil litigator and the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands and the Corps’ Dean from 2013-2014, the highlight of her economic development efforts occurred in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita little more than a decade ago. Like the city of New Orleans, a large area of the Netherlands (roughly 26 percent) sits below sea level while half the country is no higher than 3 feet above sea level. Because of that, Willems says, the Dutch are experienced at water management and various Dutch companies came to South Louisiana to assist in recovery efforts. Willems linked those Dutch water-management companies to suitable partners both private and political, after which they helped design more modern pump stations and levee systems. Those businesses and many others were featured in an organized directory Willems spearheaded during her tenure as Corps Dean. The booklet features all the Honorary Consuls and General Consuls and provides a breakdown of that country’s top exporters, companies from that country who already do business in the South, and general economic statistics.
“Beyond just having that for a tool, I think it was important to show the number of jobs created by the 56 countries of the Corps,” Willems says. “I believe it came to close to 72,000 jobs directly related to the exports of these countries and foreign investments….it just shows the impact the Corps and those who work with the Corps can have and do have.” While each Consul works mainly as an individual, the Corps does come together and work as a collective unit fairly often, especially when it comes to recruiting countries to join the Corps and identifying qualified Honorary Consuls for additions. “In New Orleans and the surrounding areas, we are a cultural melting pot,” Beuerman says. “And we pride ourselves as a state and as a people in being just that — a place with an immense amount of cultural and historical diversity. And given the Corps’ connectivity to the Gulf South region, it only furthers diversity — bringing together businesses and all these other things from around the world and linking them to Louisiana.” •
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
The GRADERS OF THE GRAIN B y W i ll i am K alec
Before all of America’s grain agricultural exports leave the mouth of the Mississippi River, they must first be inspected and weighed by the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration’s Federal Grain Inspection Service.
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ore than half of the United States’ grain exports traverse the mighty Mississippi River — a voyage that begins on breadbasket farms in Midwestern states like Illinois and Iowa and concludes (at least domestically) at grain elevators and on barges entering then leaving South Louisiana. To ensure that both quantity and quality levels reach standards outlined in contracts between buyer and seller, Congress created the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) in 1976. The government agency is
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a branch within Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration, which is part of the United States Dept. of Agriculture, and assists in transitioning seasonal harvests into the world’s food supply by putting it through rigorous product verification. The South Louisiana sector of the Federal Grain Inspection Service covers 125 miles of the Mississippi River, from Myrtle Grove in the east to Port Allen in the west. Within that vital stretch of waterway, the FGIS stations inspectors at 10 permanent grain elevators, a handful of portable eleva-
tors positioned on floating rigs and a few on clam shell rigs during busy season, which, according to FGIS assistant manager George Banks, is quite lengthy. “If you’re looking for a down time, I guess you’d say the time right now [AprilJuly] but that’s not really down,” Banks says. “Come August, that’s done. It’s back and busy. We’re the largest export grain facilitator in the United States down here, and since the weather is good year round, we have to always have a proper amount of inspectors. It’s 24-7, all-year round.” Within the Port of South Louisiana’s thumb print, FGIS inspectors man grain elevators at ADM Destrehan, ADM AMA, ADM Paulina, ADM Reserve, Cargill Reserve, Bunge Destrehan and Zen-Noh Convent. “We have standards on each grain –
corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat,” Banks says. “And our guidelines are used on each of those to assess the various factors. We could have a ship come in with a million bushels that they’re exporting out of the country, and those million bushels we’ll divide into sub lots – 60,000, 80,000 or 100,000 (bushels). And within those sublots and components, we have an inspector and technician checking for things like infestation, odor, and several other factors.” Standards and procedures that the FGIS and the state and private facilities use are all outlined in the United States Grain Standards Act and the Agricultural Marketing Act. The FGIS has established specific grading standards for: barley, canola, corn, flaxseeds, mixed grain, oats, rye, soybeans, sorghum, sunflower seeds, triticale, wheat and rice — each with quality thresholds pertinent to the makeup of the product. For instance, with corn, FGIS inspectors analyze portions of the prepared sample only after separating broken corn and foreign material. Once done, the inspector can assign a grade of either U.S. No. 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 (U.S. No. 1 being best) depending on the results of factors being graded. To earn a gold-star U.S. No. 1, the corn must have a minimum test weight of 56 pounds per bushel and must be 97 percent undamaged kernels and 99.9 percent undamaged kernels because of heat exposure. When dropping down to the U.S. No. 5, those markers dip to a minimum test weight of
46 pounds per bushel and must be 85 percent undamaged kernels and 97 percent undamaged kernels because of heat exposure. The shipment is agreed upon based on the export contract between buyer and seller, and the overall shipment grade is determined from the average of individual sublots that are graded. Comparatively, grading for wheat is much more complex because of the number of different classes of the product — eight to be exact: Durum wheat, Hard Red Spring Wheat, Hard Red Winter wheat, Soft Red Winter wheat, Hard White wheat, Soft White wheat, Unclassed wheat and Mixed wheat. Muddling matters even more, there are various subclasses within those individual classes. Like the corn-grading process, approved devices may be used to separate foreign matter prior to testing. Weight per bushel again is a factor when determining a grade, as is the percentage of materials, like stone and animal filth, in the sample, along with wheat kernels damaged by insects. The Grain Inspectors, Packers & Stockyards Administration is just as particular when selecting the type of equipment that can be used to conduct FGIS testing. This means ALL equipment including but not limited to: Automatic Bulk Weighing Systems, dividers, mixers, scales and even the type of lighting used in the facility and the type of work surface used during the grading process. •
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
SAME MISSION, NEW METHODS B y W i ll i am K alec
A pioneering organization copied many times over across the globe, the World Trade Center of New Orleans uses modern avenues and initiatives to aid the international trade efforts of local businesses.
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he reason for this organization’s existence is the same now as it was then, way back when the World Trade Center of New Orleans wasn’t called the World Trade Center of New Orleans. Founded after the curtain dropped on World War II, the then-named International Trade Mart sought to encourage the expansion of local commerce by assisting in the creation of joint ventures, spearheading commercial educational projects and interacting with organizations who shared that same set of goals. Both a simple and genius concept when viewed through the rearview mirror of threequarters of a century of success, the WTC of New Orleans template has been duplicated more than 300 times in 96 countries. This prototype economic-advocacy organization currently features a diverse roster of approximately 1,000 members, including the Port of South Louisiana itself and many commercial operators within the Port District. Beyond the WTC’s strong maritime presence,
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the organization is also comprised of civic entities, transportation companies, engineering firms, freight forwarders, agricultural businesses, and even cultural enterprises that offer the world pieces of South Louisiana’s one-of-akind music and art. “You look at the history of New Orleans, and it was founded on the concept of trade. It’s always been a part of our narrative,” says Caitlin Cain, the newly-appointed CEO of the WTC of New Orleans. “But the way in which we connect to trade and talk about trade and educate ourselves about trade has dramatically evolved. But, really, the mission of promoting international trade and creating these purposeful (connections) between members of those involved in trade has not changed.” This Spring, the WTC of New Orleans showcased its ability to find worthwhile avenues to serve the varying needs of its diverse membership when it organized and hosted the first annual Future of Trade Summit in Baton Rouge.
The one-day event featured two panel discussions in the morning. The first — the Trade Policy and Future of Trade Agreements Panel, comprised of representatives from Louisiana Economic Development, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Leake & Andersson and Siemens AG — spoke about trends related to tariffs and taxes, and debated the impact on both a micro and macro level of proposed trade policies. Following that, the second panel — the Financing, Banking and Currency Panel, comprised of reps from Orion Instruments, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Commercial Service New Orleans and Regions Bank — touched upon changes in the regulatory landscape and the direct impact it’s had on international finance and the banking and business community. Finally, over lunch, the Summit’s keynote speaker, Thomas H. Hudson (the CEO of G2, a liquified natural gas company) addressed the impact of this emerging energy sector on the Louisiana economy. All WTC of New Orleans events — such as its 2017 “Doing Business in India” platform — tackle big-picture issues and also address (as Cain calls them) “hands-on, nitty-gritty technical issues” that affect its members regularly. By focusing on educational/technical initiatives, training programs and shaping dialogue of specific poli-
cies that are pertinent in the international trade sphere, every member of the WTC can benefit from these gatherings regardless of the specifics of their day-to-day operations. “It’s an on-going challenge that many organizations have – trying to be everything to everyone,” Cain says. “And you do need to focus on what you can do really, really well and those things you can offer. And I think the Future of Trade Summit was an example of that, where we can provide programming that talks about the global macro issues impacting international trade from a policy perspective and a regulatory perspective. Then, you touch upon things that everybody needs – regardless of what type of trade they’re involved with – such as access to capital, training programs, technical assistance providers and experts that can tell you what you need to know if you plan to expand in a global marketplace.” Besides facilitating formal, buttoned-up events for members, the WTC of New Orleans also advocates on behalf of its membership when proposed government regulations would either hurt or help a company’s bottom line. In addition, the WTC occasionally coordinates trade educational outings, allowing member institutions to showcase their operations. For instance, the Port of South Louisiana and the WTC of New Orleans orchestrated a “field trip” to the Port’s Globalplex and neighboring facilities last month. Among those invited included the entire WTC membership and honorary consuls from the Consular Corps of New Orleans — approximately five dozen country-specific representatives assigned to foster trade and economic opportunities between its host nation and the Gulf South of the United States. The group received a thorough tour of the Port’s massive layout and heard Port officials talk about dredging issues along the lower half of the Mississippi River and how it plays a role in the global food supply and national security. “The ports are the backbone of our trade network and we work closely with the ports,” Cain says. “The Port of South Louisiana and the Port of New Orleans have been heavily involved with the WTC and its history for a very long time. Together, we really work to cross-promote key issues in the maritime field, such as dredging (on the Mississippi River). Or it’s touting the importance of the Mississippi waterway to the international trade community and developing educational platforms where we can talk about why the Mississippi is significant not just for Louisiana, but the nation as a whole.” •
OPPOSITE PAGE: Caitlin Cain, CEO of the World Trade Center New Orleans, Jason French, Chairman of the Louisiana Energy Export Association and VP of Government and Public Affairs for Tellurian Inc., and Jessica Wickett, Development and Public Affairs for Venture Global LNG, give testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee at the Louisiana State Capitol, to announce the formation of the Louisiana Energy Export Association and provide an update on LNG projects in Louisiana. (April 26, 2017) TOP: Ambassador of the European Union to the United States, David O’Sullivan speaks at a World Trade Center business roundtable on developments in the EU and Transatlantic Relations. (May 5, 2017) MIDDLE: (Left to Right) Don Pierson, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development; Caitlin Cain, CEO, World Trade Center of New Orleans, and Thomas Hudson, CEO, G2 LNG pictured at the World Trade Center Future of Trade Summit held in Baton Rouge, LA. (May 9, 2017) BOTTOM: (Left to Right) Shawn Donnan, World Trade Editor, Financial Times; Edward T. Hayes, Chairman of the World Trade Center New Orleans, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Louisiana and Partner, Leake and Andersson; Kaitlin Sighinolfi, Director, Government Affairs, Siemens, AG; Reuben Smith-Vaughan, Senior Director, Americas, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and Don Pierson, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development, pictured after the Trade Policy Panel at the World Trade Center Future of Trade Summit in Baton Rouge, LA. (May 9, 2017) w w w . p o r t s l . c o m | S U MM E R 2 0 1 7
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CHAMPIONS OF THE WATERWAYS B y W i ll i am K alec
Dedicated to advocating for the modernization of lock and dam infrastructure on the nation’s inland waterways, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) tirelessly does what it can to shape policy and initiatives that benefit maritime commerce and the marine environment, simultaneously.
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pologies for the history lesson, but George Washington (yes, THAT George Washington) once waxed poetic about the importance of the inland waterways better than WCI President and CEO Mike Toohey ever could, which explains why he often leans on a 225-year-old quote when explaining the mission of Waterways Council, Inc.: “I could not help taking a more contemplative and extensive view of the vast inland navigation of these United States, from maps and the information of others; and could not but be struck with the immense diffusion and importance of it, and with the goodness of that Providence, which has dealt her favors to us so profuse a hand,” Washington said. “Would to God we may have wisdom enough to improve them.” Those words ring just as true today as they did way back then, which is why Waterways Council, Inc. – a Washington, D.C.-based
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national advocacy group waving the flag for the modernization and maintenance of the country’s vast system of navigable rivers, locks and dams, channels, and ports – echoes the importance of these economic arteries when communicating to both influencers and the general public. For instance, more than 540,000 workers earn a living on our inland waterways, facilitating growth and sustainability for farmers, manufacturers and shippers both domestically and abroad. Beyond dollars and cents, the inland waterways provide hydropower, municipal water supply, flood control, recreation opportunities, and national defense. Because of the bounty of industries and stakeholders of the inland waterways, membership within the WCI is wide-ranging – from Forbes 500 corporations to regional agriculture organizations to ports to labor and conservation groups. “It’s a pretty unique enterprise,” says Toohey. “When you visit a member of Con-
gress, and the Representative or Senator sees the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The National Association of Manufacturers, shippers and carriers, and also labor organizations – carpenters and pipefitters -- all walking the halls together, giving one clear message that’s unified, it’s a coalition of voices in Washington focused on infrastructure, maintenance and dredging on the nation’s inland waterways.” WCI’s efforts are particularly honed along the entire Mississippi River, which makes sense statistically. More than 60 percent of the country’s grain exports are shipped from the Upper Mississippi River System and exit south, often stationing at and eventually traversing through the Port of South Louisiana. Adds Toohey, “And we do it more safely, with less environmental impact than other transportation modes.” The Mississippi River – the northern portion officially designated as a “nationally significant ecosystem” by Congress – is also home base for 25 percent of North America’s fish species and a flyway for more than half of the continent’s bird species. The issue remains that the majority of the Mississippi River’s navigation infrastructure requires attention and upgrades, some of which haven’t been addressed in nearly a century. More specifically, the Mississippi
River lock system north of the Port of St. Louis (essentially America’s breadbasket states) dates back to the Work Project Administration under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. And while some improvements and modernizations have been made, much more work needs to happen considering some areas remain 600foot, single-chamber locks that are too small and inefficient for today’s modern freight tows and are literally crumbling in some cases. To address these dire needs, the WCI and 56 organizations -- from major companies like Cargill and John Deere to non-profits like Ducks Unlimited – successfully urged Congress to authorize the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) a decade ago. On a grand scale, NESP features expanding seven locks, from 600-foot chambers to 1200-foot chambers, doubling their size, built in the 1930s, at the busiest sections of the river. Additionally, funds will be directed at smaller-scale maintenance and improvements to the existing river infrastructure, upgrades that benefit 13 states in all rather than just the Midwest region overall. “That’s where the education process comes in,” Toohey says. “ Someone in Louisiana might not think matters in Illinois and Iowa are important to them. But it is critically important
when you look at all the grain that comes down from the Ohio River, the Upper Mississippi River, and the Illinois River and then to Port of South Louisiana for export. And we win those export contracts not because of the production cost, but because of the transportation cost. The United States has the most efficient waterways and transportation system in the world. “So the family farmer in Iowa is able to export grain to China because of the efficiency of the Port of South Louisiana. It’s all connected, and the future in grain is bright. We have access to reach new markets more efficiently than before, but it takes an investment at home to get those products to Port of South Louisiana and then onto foreign markets.” Because the entire Mississippi River south of the Port of St. Louis is a free-flow waterway, the majority of WCI’s efforts down there have focused on dredging, maintaining amd improving critical port and navigation channels. “Not only does the Corps address navigation, but they also address ecosystem restoration,” Toohey says. “Among the Corps’ mission areas, navigation is at the top of dollars spent, and and number two is ecosystem restoration. So what NESP does is to combine both of those missions into one program. Our view is, NESP should be the posterchild on
how the Corps should do things more efficiently to combine infrastructure restoration with environmental restoration.” Most recently, WCI applauded the passage of the FY 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill that provides funding for the Army Corps of Engineers through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017. FY ’17 funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission totals $6.038 billion, a slight (0.8%) increase above the FY 16 funding level, but almost a 31% increase above the Obama Administration requested level. Absent in the bill was directive language to require the Corps to resume Pre-construction Engineering Design (PED) for the NESP program, but that was tempered by an explanatory statement directing the Corps to take steps necessary to ensure that new construction projects can be initiated as soon as they can be supported under the capital program. Together with the $5 million in additional appropriation for inland navigation included in the Corps’ Investigation Account, the statement could be used to expedite the resumption of NESP PED if the Trump Administration is inclined to support it. With NESP such a natural and efficient way to modernize infrastructure and restore the marine ecosystem, let’s hope they do! •
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PORT PEOPLE
Planting a seed B y J enn y P eterson
S h ell engineer bri ngs S.T.E.M. edu c a ti o n a n d re so urc es t o We st Afri ca Ghislain Dadie remembers when he was 17 years old, living in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, taking his final exam to enter college. He looked at the globe in the classroom. “I told my friend, ‘I am going to this country called the United States to study engineering,’” Dadie recalls. He admits that it was a long-shot. He didn’t speak English, just his native French. “I was a young African boy and had never been to the United States. I didn’t know anyone there. My friend started laughing at me and said, ‘You’ve lost your mind.’” But Dadie was determined. He saved lunch money in order to go to a nearby internet café to learn about American universities. “I Google-translated everything from my French language,” he said. He came upon the University of Washington in Seattle, and requested more information. “Three months later, I’m in a classroom and the principal calls my name. He has a big envelope and says, ‘You have mail.’ It was the University of Washington’s information package. It was the best day of my life,” he recalls. The excitement was short-lived, however. Through an English translator, he discovered that it cost nearly $50,000 to attend. “It was a dream crusher,” he said. “I packed
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away my envelope and said, ‘For this dream, I’ll have to wait a little bit.’” Dadie enrolled in a local college in a preengineering program, with his eye on the prize of moving to the United States. He made money any way he could for a plane ticket, including buying clothes and shoes from a flea market and reselling them. In three years, he had saved $1,000. Dadie’s father knew someone in New York, who said Dadie could sublet a bedroom in his apartment. Dadie got approved for a student visa and left for New York in 2002. “I had to teach myself English and enroll in college,” he said. Dadie worked several jobs when he arrived in New York, including working as a stock boy at a furniture store and delivering newspapers, all the while taking classes at City College of New York. While it was a challenge to find work with his limited language skills and balance work with college, Dadie said, “I learned you have to be hard-working and resilient. You have to have a self-drive and want to be successful. That’s the only way to survive. If you can survive New York City, you can survive everywhere.”
Engineering success Dadie continued to pursue engineering at City College, a field he both excelled in and enjoyed. “I always had the love for creativity and designing things,” he said. “What I loved about chemical engineering is that you are taking things that are less desirable and making them more desirable.” He explains, “A crude oil engineer takes a product that has no value and turns it into something more desirable. You make crude oil into gasoline; the end user can now use it and drive the car.” “A water treatment engineer takes water that is not drinkable and turns it into water that is drinkable. I like to make things better by solving problems and making an environment better.” When he was a junior in college, he became the president of the Students of Chemical Engineers society and successfully applied for an internship at a local chemical company. When he graduated from the City College in 2009, he was offered a job at that chemical company facility in Plaquemines Parish. “It was very exciting to be a crude oil (petroleum) engineer. Moving to Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana was quite a culture change to move from a fastpaced city to a calm, laid-back place.” He said the people and culture in Louisiana were much more familiar. “The culture here is very similar to Africa. There’s a welcoming environment, lots of family time,” he said. Dadie then got an opportunity to work for Shell Oil and moved to Baton Rouge and today is an operations support engineer at the Shell Convent Refinery. While shopping at a grocery store in Baton Rouge, he met a woman named
Left: Dadie Conducting S.T.E.M experiment with students at a Local Middle School in St. Charles Parish Middle: Dadie writing a plan for crude oil exchanger leak repair. Right: Dadie posing with elementary school village kids in Ivory Coast West Africa.
Sabrina who would later become his wife. The couple lives in Hahnville with their two-year-old son. “It’s all because I followed that dream,” he said. Planting a seed Dadie has taken his life experience and started the ProSeed, a non-proft that helps students in West Africa live their dream. “My wife and I went back to the Ivory Coast and I saw a need to help other young African kids in school,” he said. “I thought, ‘What can I do to bring about change?’” The idea came on when watching the movie The Martian, where the main character creates an environment for sustenance and growth from a tiny seed. The ProSeed Foundation launched in 2013, with a mission to give hope through education by building schools in West Africa, awarding high-achieving students and promoting S.T.E.M. education. “We built a 2,000 square foot playground; these kids had never used a swing, never learned how to slide, how to use the merrygo-round. Within two weeks, enrollment tripled. Villagers wanted to take kids to school instead of the farms,” Dadie said. He also saw children in school were crowding on benches that were falling apart. His vision was to replace them all. He recruited sponsors stateside—more than half of the donations came from his colleagues at Shell Oil—and was able to replace 110 school benches. Each donor has a tag with their name on the seat. Dadie made sure to keep all the work local. “We provided local craft people with a job. Their biggest contract was for those 110 benches, and it employed eight people who now have resources to send their kids to school.” Building for the future In addition to building projects, Dadie also implemented a program to reward students for academic excellence and promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) education. “We purchase school supplies for the top students each year as an incentive to be the best and to strive,” he said. Top achieving students are also given an academic award; it’s named in honor of Dadie’s father. Dadie uses his engineering experience
to get kids excited about S.T.E.M. careers. “I do a leadership workshop with an inspirational speech in my native language,” he said. “I want them to be geared toward innovation. We built a citrus battery from local oranges to power a calculator. Students are really excited and engaged.” Once Dadie saw the impact on students, he expanded the ProSeed Foundation to other villages inWest Africa. “I saw another village 70 miles from the village where we were, and I talked to the village chief and asked to see the school,” he said. “It had dirt floors and a metal roof. When it rains, the kids have to stop learning. I told the chief, ‘I’ll see what we can do to help.’” Dadie and the ProSeed Foundation will return to the village in September 2017 to build an entire new school with bathrooms and ball fields using local carpenters and workers. The entire project will cost $50,000. Dadie has started a fundraising campaign; donors can buy a brick for the new school for $5. If someone buys more than 21 bricks, they will
get their name engraved on the building. Dadie is continually motivated by the positive impact on the students. “We got testimonials that because of the academic excellence award, the junior high school success rate went from 55 percent to 75 percent. Students are motivated and want to excel,” he said. “I have a vision to change the environment in which the students are learning and make it conducive for success. I can give students hope that they, too, can be whatever they want to be— president, engineer, a doctor— because I was once one of those children.” To learn more about ProSeed, visit www.proseedfoundation.org, or follow @ProSeed on Facebook . •
TOP: A classroom at a school ProSeed will begin rebuilding, starting in September 2017, for the children of Dibikro Village Ivory Coast West Africa. BOTTOM: Dadie posing with the Village chief and local teachers at Dibikro Village.
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P O R Tr a i t s
The filming of Paul Aucoin’s “Market to Market” interview with Iowa PBS
The Port of South Louisiana participated with St. John Parish in promoting IEDC’s National Economic Development week. (L-R) Vincent Caire, Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport Director; Paul Aucoin, Executive Director; LaVerne Toombs, St. John Parish CAO and Jerry Jones, Jr. St. John Parish Economic Development Director.
Congressman Steve Scalise was named “Port Person of the Year” at the AAPA Spring Conference in Washington D.C.
Sean Duffy, Big River Coalition, speaks to a group at the Port on the importance of dredging at the mouth of the Mississippi. 26
SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
Port staff welcomes a group from various ports in Brazil. The delegates were provided with a presentation and tour of the Port of South Louisiana.
P O R Tr a i t s
The WTC of New Orleans Board, along with some members, took part in a field trip to the Portâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Globaplex facility.
Louisiana Consular Corps luncheon.
During the field trip, the WTC of New Orleans group was also given a boat tour and presentation on the Port.
Port Commissioners and Staff met with Louisiana senators and representatives to discuss upcoming new projects and developments for the Port of South Louisiana.
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P O R Tr a i t s
Globalplex Building 19 Expansion Ceremony
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SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
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I N DU S T R Y M A P
P ort of S o u t h
E x isti n g I n d 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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SUMMER 2017 | Port of South Louisiana
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 i s i ana
Heav y In d u str i al S i tes 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
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FINAL FRAME
From behind the lens, Iowa Public Television cameraman
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captures the importance of dredging the Mississippi River. The video can be seen at Portsl.com
Photo by Alex Hernandez
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