Port Log Summer 2023

PORT STAFF

chief executive officer Paul Matthews

chief administrative officer

Chambrel Riley-Williams

chief commercial officer Julia Fisher

chief operating officer Brian Cox

senior advisor for commercial operations Ted Knight

executive Assistant Patti Crockett

director of administration

Vickie Lewis-Clark

director of communications Micah Cormier

director of finance Grant Faucheux

director of human resources

Tamara Kennedy

public information officer

Alexandra ‘Alex’ Hernández

port of south louisiana P.O. Box AE Reserve, LA 70084 www.portsl.com

Phone: (985) 652-9278 | Fax: (504) 568-6270

port of south louisiana

executive regional airport

Phone: (985) 652-9278 ext 8512

associated terminals

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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editor Drew Hawkins

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Copyright 2023 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.

It’s the summer of opportunity at the Port of South Louisiana. We’ve seen continued growth in tonnage over the first quarter, moving 4.5 million short tons of cargo than the quarter before. As the nation’s leading grain exporter and a hub for energy transfer, the world continues to look to PortSL, especially during the continued conflict with Russia and Ukraine. Feeding and fueling the world, while simultaneously driving our state and nation’s economy, is what we focus on everyday at the Port of South Louisiana. Our team is in constant contact with stakeholders and officials to foster growth and opportunity.

In an ever-changing landscape, being at the forefront with new technologies is a top priority for our Port. In the area of cybersecurity, we continue to invest in upgrading our critical infrastructure to ensure that PortSL and the commerce that occurs in our jurisdiction is protected. In this issue, you will read about the Lower Mississippi River SmartPort and Resilience Center that is providing realtime data on water depths and sedimentation to shippers. You’ll also read about our grant funding to construct the nation’s first hydrogen fueling barge, which will provide a zero-carbon fuel source for vessels in the years to come.

PortSL’s Executive Regional Airport continues to garner attention from aviation enthusiasts and business travelers. Last year, we issued a master plan that will add another level of modality to the Port’s intermodal capabilities.

By expanding our runway by 1,500 feet, we see the ability to attract and move cargo via air. As a reliever airport to area airports currently moving cargo, PortSL’s Executive Regional Airport will attract investment from companies looking to improve shipping routes and avoid the supply chain issues we have experienced in the past.

Regionally, we are working with the local governments and officials in the River Parishes and ensuring that Port is a community partner supporting families and small businesses. We have met with officials at every level to make the new I-10 Reserve Exit a reality. This will provide motorists and truckers a direct route to our Globalplex facility and Executive Regional Airport and it will ease truck traffic from neighboring LaPlace. Beating the Louisiana heat can be tough. In this issue, you’ll read about how our area leaders are making a “splash” and prioritizing the quality of life for families to enjoy.

There is no “Summer Break” at PortSL. I’m extremely proud and blessed to lead a team of talented people who show up to work everyday and are helping our Port reach new heights. As always, we stand ready to partner with anyone looking to do business at Port of South Louisiana. We are A BETTER WAY TO CARGO.

Paul Matthews Chief Executive Officer

stanley bazile secretary

katie klibert commissioner

robbie leblanc treasurer

ryan burks chairman

whitney hickerson commissioner

judy b. songy vice chairwoman

louis joseph commissioner

paul matthews ceo

p. joey murray, iii commissioner d. paul robichaux commissioner

TRANSPORTATION CENTER OF THE AMERICAS

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.

TONNAGE: 62,010,639 (IN MILLION SHORT TONS)

PHILOSOPHY

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 SoLaPort, and the St. James Westbank property.

WORLD’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 one-fifth of all U.S. foreign waterborne commerce.

FACILITIES

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.

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.

MISSION

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.

GOVERNANCE

The Port is under the jurisdiction of the state of Louisiana and authorized by the state constitution. A ninemember board of commissioners directs the Port; all of them are unsalaried.

BEATING THE HEAT IN THE RIVER PARISHES

Public Splash Pads and Spray Parks Offer Residents

BY WILLIAM KALEC

Near The Port District No-Cost Relief From The Merciless South Louisiana Summer Sun.

Call them splash pads. Call them splash parks. Call them spray parks.

Whatever you call these modern recreational oases located on both the east and west banks of the Mississippi River near the Port of South Louisiana, their function and purpose remain the same: They’re civic gathering spots for River Parishes residents and visitors to cool off during the summer months.

For those unfamiliar with the term, splash pads/spray parks are interactive aquatic fountains often found in public parks that jet water at patrons as they play. Generally, these free-to-the-public attractions are designed so that standing water does not collect at the base of the splash pad/spray park – enabling children of all ages to safely partake in the fun regardless of their swimming acumen.

Beyond offering no-cost recreation to all residents of the River Parishes, these splash pads/spray parks provide refreshment from the often-grueling temperatures that saturate south Louisiana in the months of May, June, July, August and September. According to the National Weather Service, the average temperature in all three river parishes (St. John, St. James, St. Charles) exceeds 90 degrees in the months of July and August while the Heat Index – a metric that factors in humidity when measuring temperature –often reaches triple digits.

With that established, it’s no surprise that splash pads/spray parks are popular “hot spots” (pardon the pun) for families when schools let out for summer break.

ST. CHARLES PARISH

At Ormond Park Community Park in Destrehan, the annual re-opening of the facility’s ‘Spray Park’ just before Memorial Day has served as the unofficial start of summer for parents and children in St. Charles Parish for nearly a decade now.

“It has truly been a hot spot for families with young kids to go during afternoons in the summer months,” said Alissa Cavaretta, Assistant Director for Parks and Recreation in St. Charles. “There’s been no better place for people in our parish to have a great time, hang out, relax and especially cool off when the weather warms up.”

Gated off between two baseball fields, the Ormond Spray Park typically does a weekends-only “soft launch” every year during the first week of May before opening fully six days a week Tuesday through Sunday (Monday is a maintenance day) one month later during the beginning of June. The facility is strategically open during the hottest hours of the afternoon, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and includes shaded benches for parents and guardians to monitor in comfort while their kids splash around in the water.

One of the most unique features of the Ormond facility compared to other free, public water attractions in the area is that the footprint or base of the spray park is made out of a spongey, blue mat -- a material that absorbs less heat, is less slippery when wet, and has more ‘give’ when walking upon it than concrete. The spray park also features an elevated water bucket that tips over when filled, an archway of sprinklers that creates a defacto water tunnel, and several timed water shooters embedded in the aforementioned blue base mat.

It’s estimated close to 10,000 St. Charles residents and visitors to parish utilize the Ormond Spray Park annually.

Because of that site’s popularity, parish leaders recently announced intentions to build a similar spray park facility in Luling near the Edward A. Dufresne Community Complex. Upon completion, this new attraction would give St. Charles a spray park on both the east and west banks of the Mississippi River, and mark another vital step forward in the parish’s community-shaped master plan for parks and recreation.

“Obviously it’s convenient for our St. Charles residents to have a spray park on each side of the river, but that wasn’t our sole

reason for planning to build another one of these facilities,” Cavaretta said. “What we’re really striving to do on Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway is create a big community hub.

“So the spray park will be adjacent to the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center, which already has the Veterans Memorial Plaza and hosts the second-ever Gold Star Family Memorial Monument in the state,” Cavaretta continued. “So our goal is to make this area a central gathering area for all of our residents.”

Groundbreaking on the new spray park is scheduled for later this summer in hopes of opening in time for the beginning of spray park season in 2024. To accommodate the expected crowds, additional parking and restroom facilities are also included in the construction plans.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH

Labeled as “splash pads,” St. John has three public water-centric facilities designed for children to cool off and have fun.

This year, St. John splash pads are open from noon to 7 p.m. six days a week (like St. Charles, Monday is a maintenance and cleaning day in St. John) at Thomas Daley Memorial Park in LaPlace, REGALA Park in Reserve, and Juan Anthony Joseph Memorial Park off Highway 18 in Edgard.

Each park includes different inactive features such as sprinklers, water-shooting hydrants and spinning buckets roughly 8-10 feet in the air that tilt over and dump a sheet of water on patrons below upon reaching their tipping point.

ST. JAMES PARISH

The best way to quantify the popularity and success of St. James Parish’s ‘splash parks’ program is to simply count up the number of facilities that have sprouted up across the region in less than a decade.

In 2014, parish officials opened the first splash park at the District 7 Park in Vacherie to complement other attractions such as the fitness station, football field, pavilion, playground and sand volleyball courts. Needless to say, the water-laden addition to the park was a huge hit.

How huge?

Well, the crowds at the District 7 splash park were so robust that the parish immediately set forth plans to construct similar interactive fountains in every district in St. James – a goal that quickly came to fruition in 2021 when a splash park was installed and opened at Gramercy Park.

“I’ve rarely driven past an empty splash park on a summer afternoon,” said Ryan Larousse, Assistant Director of Public Works in St. James Parish. “All of the parks are used regularly, and we’ve even heard of residents from other parishes driving to St. James to enjoy our facilities.”

Splash parks in St. James Parish are open for six full months -- May 1 to Halloween – from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Those extended hours and the half-year operations calendar provide residents of St. James ample opportunity to not just partake in the cooling, satisfying fun of their own neighborhood spray park, but ALL the spray parks in the parish.

Architects and parish officials purposely made each spray park in St. James unique – with different layouts, different attractions, and different water-soaking features – to encourage intra-parish travel to all seven public parks. For instance, the 7th District splash park has a mushroomshaped canopy that drips a full ring of water around patrons. The Romeville Park splash park in Convent features an ever-running arch of water that children can run in, out and under while playing, while another park has a fake palm tree that shoots water.

“We’re proud to say that every district in our parish has a splash park at their local park,” St. James Parish president Pete Dufresne said. “They are used and enjoyed every summer, all season long. I’d like to encourage all residents to get out to the parks and enjoy this summer activity.”

INCREASE IN TONNAGE 2023

BY MISTY MILIOTO

Infrastructure improvements have allowed for a significant increase in tonnage moving through the Port of South Louisiana.

The Port of South Louisiana is not only a major throughway for the import and export of goods, but also a main economic driver for the state. With some recent improvements to infrastructure, the Port is now able to contribute even more to economic development and job creation in the River Parishes and beyond.

“More than 60 percent of the nation’s grain moves through the Port of South Louisiana,” said Brian Cox, chief operating officer for the Port of South Louisiana. “We have seven of the nine grain elevators in Louisiana, three major refineries, over 30 pipelines and 60 dock operations on the 54-mile stretch of the Mississippi River.”

INCREASING CAPACITY

According to Cox, total tonnage at the Port of South Louisiana increased by 4 percent in 2022 , up from 2021 throughput — the biggest increase since 2018.

Several industries are currently contributing to the increase in tonnage at the Port of South Louisiana. “Unmistakably, Port of South Louisiana’s grain and petrochemical partners are the prime contributors to the growth: animal feed (29 percent); wheat (20 percent); crude oil (16 percent); petrochemicals (15 percent); and soybeans (14 percent),” Cox said. “Also, the movement of coal/lignite/cole (2 percent), concrete/stone products (111 percent) and ores/phosphates (3 percent).”

On average, the Port of South Louisiana receives 3,500 vessel calls and 55,000 barge movements annually. “In 2022, 3,502 vessels and 54,611 barges were serviced at the Port of South Louisiana,” Cox said.

Recent infrastructural improvements have further enabled the Port to increase both its imports and exports. For example, the Port added two new state-of-theart Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 Portal Harbor Cranes, which were christened at the Globalplex Intermodal Terminal Dock in August 2022. This is a big deal.

“Tonnage has increased by approximately 75 percent with the increased capacity of these cranes,” Cox said. “What this means is that ships get loaded or unloaded in less time. The ship is in berth for a shorter period of time, which lowers dockage and operating costs to the vessel owners and shippers. This translates to lower costs to the end-user when the products are moved quickly, safely and efficiently.”

Midstream operations at the Port of South Louisiana.

PARTNERS IN GROWTH

Strategically located at mile posts 138.5 and 138.6 A.H.P. in Reserve, the Port of South Louisiana’s public terminal, Globalplex, features deep draft bulk and general cargo docks designed for highly efficient dockside transfers between ship, barge, truck, and/or on-dock laydown and staging areas.

Associated Terminals, the leading stevedoring and terminal operator on the Lower Mississippi River, is the exclusive operator of Globalplex. The company first became involved with the Port of South Louisiana in 2000 when it partnered with Stevedoring Services of America to provide crane power at the Globalplex Terminal.

Five years later, Associated Terminals acquired SSA’s position at Globalplex and entered into an agreement with the Port of South Louisiana to become the exclusive operator at the 335-acre intermodal terminal. This past year alone, Associated Terminals has handled more than 1.5 million tons through the Globalplex terminal.

“We provide a comprehensive range of value-added services, which allows us to offer complete cargo movement solutions for our customers,” said Todd Fuller, president and co-owner (along with Gary Poirrier) at Associated Terminals. “Our team of highly skilled and experienced professionals, and our topquality equipment, allows us to deliver the most efficient solutions for our customers handling over 30 million tons of cargo annually. The two Konecranes gantry cranes perform operations on the dock and pier. Globalplex further features a finger pier, built in 2013, and a multipurpose dock.”

According to Fuller, the addition of the two Konecranes gantry cranes has allowed Associated Terminals to increase its total tonnage by a large margin. “From 2019 to 2021, the average tonnage was approximately 1 million tons,” he said. “In 2022, approximately 1.3 million tons were moved at Globalplex, which was a 30 percent increase. [Also last year,] Associated Terminals alone transloaded cargo from 355 oceangoing vessels across the Port of Louisiana jurisdiction at 10 transloading facilities. The company handled 36 oceangoing vessels at the Globalplex dock specifically.”

A shift in some of the cargo trade and dynamics have occurred over the past year and may continue in years to come. “Cementitious cargoes have become a major import into the region and across the United States by the recent LNG facility construction and potential infrastructure improvement demand,” Fuller said. “Further to this particular commodity, the push to more greener fuels has created opportunities for companies to expand their bio-fuel capacity. This process increases more animal feed proteins for export opportunities.”

ECONOMIC SUCCESS

Movements of cargoes through Globalplex and the Port of South Louisiana’s jurisdiction correlates to more jobs and indirect benefits to the local economy through vendors and service providers needed to facilitate cargo operations. Due to the increase in tonnage moving through the Port, a number of new jobs have been created, including five new equipment operators, four new crane operators, two new supervisors, and approximately 10 deckhand and support staff.

“We take extraordinary pride in operating two out of the five ports on the Lower Mississippi River, as the river is an outstanding resource for the economy,” Fuller says. “In Louisiana, one in five jobs are connected to the river according to the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. In addition, maritime employees make a collective $3.5 billion annually in income in Louisiana.”

Led by CEO Paul Matthews and governed by a board of nine commissioners, the Port of South Louisiana is one of the most prominent tonnage port districts in the Western hemisphere. “Since 2000, we have been privileged to work with the Port to grow and expand at Globalplex and our footprint within the Port’s jurisdiction,” Fuller says. “We partnered with the Port of South Louisiana to reach substantial economic success, and we are thrilled that the Port is ranked number one in domestic trade, number two in total foreign trade imports and number three in exports. The Port accounts for 15 percent of United States exports and 57 percent of Louisiana exports.”

SMARTPORT Solving Shoaling

BY FRITZ ESKER

In June of 2022, the Port of South Louisiana joined forces with the Water Institute, the Port of New Orleans, and Louisiana Economic Development as partners in the Lower Mississippi River SmartPort and Resilience Center (SmartPort) being developed for the Lower Mississippi River.

The Water Institute is an independent nonprofit applied research organization that works to solve complex environmental and societal challenges. Beaux Jones, acting president and CEO of the Water Institute, said the idea for the SmartPort started from discussions involving the Water Institute’s prior president and CEO, Justin Ehrenwerth, and port reps.

A problem that kept coming up was shoaling. This is when sediment is deposited in open waterways, causing a reduction in the local water depth. If the sediment piles up, that can force a port to pay for a costly emergency dredge. But ports had often been operating with imperfect data regarding sedimentation at the bottom of rivers.

The questions that kept arising in the Water Institute’s discussions with the ports were “How can we better help ports understand what’s going on at the bottom of the river?” and “How can we better predict what will happen in the future?”

“We know how much water is in the river, but what is happening at the bottom of the river is a mystery,” Jones said.

The SmartPort program involves developing an app to help model and forecast shoaling in the Mississippi River. By doing so, it can help ports be proactive in keeping their operations moving smoothly. It helps bridge a data gap for ports. Jones said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does a good job of surveying the river but does not provide realtime data.

“We have snippets of info from the surveys, but we need to know what happens between the survey points and after the surveys are complete,” Jones said.

with Technology

Jones likened the SmartPort’s app to the popular app Waze, which gives people driving directions and real-time traffic alerts. Every boat that passes through the river has a depth sounder that is connected to a computer with internet. Now, the approximately 75 vessels with the app are sending real-time data on the depth of the river 24 hours a day. It essentially deputizes vessels to be an army of survey ships.

The app will also have a real-time shoaling forecast tool joined with weather, river, and road traffic information to give ports a more holistic look at transportation activities. Another component will be the development of resilience dashboards to aid each port to better prepare for and shorten recovery time after disasters or disruptions.

“This is a paradigm shift,” Jones said. “Rather than being reactive, we can now be proactive based on environmental factors.”

One way the app can help shipping companies is by aiding them in avoiding light loading. If the river’s depth is shallow, companies cannot load as much cargo on their ships. Jones said every foot of light loading can cause a company approximately $1 million. But with accurate, realtime data, companies can load their boats with less worry about whether or not they could potentially get stuck due to load that’s too heavy.

SmartPort was announced in June 2021 and the development of the project took about a year to complete. It was funded through a $1.6 million federal grant matched with $1.4 million in funds from the state of Louisiana and other partners. To start, the project will have a two-year trial run. Jones said the feedback from the app’s users has been positive so far. The partners in the project are happy to be a part of it, too.

“As one of America’s largest tonnage ports, the Port of South Louisiana is focused on serving the maritime needs of resident industries. Partnering with The Water Institute and Louisiana Economic Development will allow us to

apply sourcing data and cutting-edge scientific analysis to a concern for vessel operators and shippers not only on the Mississippi River, but around the world,” Paul Matthews, Port of South Louisiana CEO, announced in a press release. “Our better understanding of shoaling, and our ability to provide more accurate, timely and precise predictive elements to shoaling forecasts, will enhance the safety and efficiency of all the port’s maritime endeavors.”

“The Lower Mississippi River SmartPort and Resilience Center will provide next-generation maritime technology to ports and vessels along the Mississippi River,” Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson said in a press release. “Through collaboration with ports along the Lower Mississippi River, the state, The Water Institute and numerous partners, we are able to achieve greater economic successes across Louisiana.”

The success of the SmartPort program has been a bittersweet one. That is because Justin Ehrenwerth, the former president and CEO of the Water Institute whose efforts helped get the project started, passed away earlier this year. Before coming to Louisiana, Ehrenwerth served

as part of former President Barack Obama’s legal team. When he came to New Orleans, he embraced the city, riding in Hermes during Mardi Gras, becoming a regular attendee at Jazz Fest, and worshiping at Touro Synagogue.

Jones described Ehrenwerth as not just a colleague, but as one of his closest friends. He marveled at Ehrenwerth’s ability to form relationships with a wide variety of people. “Justin was a fantastic connector, across party lines, industries, and social circles,” said Jones.

Ehrenwerth had the ability to listen deeply to people’s problems and concerns and then try to figure out how he could help. He brought those skills to the SmartPort project. Jones said he and everyone else involved is committed to the project to ensure Ehrenwerth’s vision will be realized.

“He had immense faith and belief that it (the SmartPort) would be a transformative project not just for the Water Institute but for how we understand rivers and ports around the world,” Jones said. “This project would have never happened without Justin.”

The Smartport app would "scan," help model and forecast shoaling in the Mississippi River by the vessels that traverse on it daily.

BARGE TO THE FUTURE

BY FRITZ ESKER

A new fuel will be powering barges in the Mississippi River soon. It’s part of an effort among many local organizations, including the Port of South Louisiana and GNO Inc., to reduce the local maritime industry’s carbon footprint.

“There’s a massive opportunity here to decarbonize our industrial sector through green hydrogen,” said Lacy McManus, Executive Director of Future Energy at GNO Inc.

Carbon has a negative impact on the environment in a variety of ways. It is the primary cause of human-induced climate change, contributes to air pollution, leads to toxic acid rain, adds to coastal and ocean acidification, and worsens the melting of glaciers and polar ice.

Green hydrogen, on the other hand, is clean fuel that produces only water. It generates no polluting emissions. South Louisiana already consumes 30% of America’s industrial hydrogen and the hope of project planners is for the area to become a prominent producer and consumer of green hydrogen.

The hydrogen barge is just one part of the H2TheFuture project, a larger plan to create a clean hydrogen energy cluster in south Louisiana. The project received $50 million in funding from the Build Back Better Challenge, a $1 billion initiative created through the American Rescue Plan Act to boost economic recovery in regional industry clusters. H2TheFuture received $24.5 million in matching funds from the state of Louisiana for a total project budget of $74.5 million.

When the grant was awarded in September 2022, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards

said it would be part of the state’s plan to be at net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“South Louisiana is known worldwide as the epicenter for American energy exploration, manufacturing, refining, and distribution,” said Micah Cormier, Director of Communications for the Port of South Louisiana.

“As one of the western hemisphere’s top energy transfer ports, the Port of South Louisiana is ground zero for business and industry making investments in clean-energy solutions. We’re thrilled that the Economic Development Administration has awarded funding to the Port of South Louisiana to construct this hydrogen fueling barge, which will be the first of its kind in the nation and the second globally.”

The hydrogen barge will serve as a fueling barge for tugboats and will be powered by e-methanol, which is produced by combining green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide. E-methanol burns clean and has no carbon footprint. McManus said they hope the barge will be in the river by quarter #1 of 2025.

When completed, the hydrogen barge is expected to cost approximately $6.7 million, according to Cormier. Cormier expects the construction of the hydrogen barge to trigger private investment in more than 16 hydrogen-powered tugboats.

“As companies across the globe are going green, there is no doubt that the presence of this barge on the Lower Mississippi River will lead to more vessels developed that are fueled by hydrogen, which has a zero-carbon footprint,” Cormier said.

McManus also noted the demand among companies for environmentally friendly fuel alternatives. She said there is global pressure from shareholders to have cleaner, greener practices that amount to more than just rhetoric.

Work is currently underway on a new barge that will be powered entirely by hydrogen-based fuel.

There will also be an economic gain to this innovation. The H2TheFuture website estimated that their strategy to position Louisiana as a global leader in green hydrogen could result in over 34,000 new highpaying direct jobs. H2TheFuture also stressed the importance of making green hydrogen cost-competitive.

H2TheFuture also proposed a new clean energy business model in Louisiana consisting of five parts: workforce training to upskill displaced oil and gas workers, rural residents, and minorities; business development to attract new and existing local and regional energy companies into the hydrogen value chain; higher ed “testbeds” to conduct research of low-carbon hydrogen technologies; public-private partnerships to make green hydrogen investments less risky at the commercial scale; and an organizational and

governance nexus to create a green hydrogen planning hub focused on industry growth and sustainability to be located at the University of New Orleans’ campus.

The Port of South Louisiana does not plan to limit its environmentally conscious projects to the hydrogen barge. While there are no firm plans for future projects yet, Cormier said the port is open to and exploring new ideas.

“Our team is collaborating with experts from across the globe to identify new technologies that will lower carbon emissions and create jobs for the families in our region,” Cormier said. “Our strategic location and skilled workforce make the Port of South Louisiana a prime location to attract investments from across the globe and broaden the energy economy of our region.”

U.S. Economic Development Administration chief Alejandra Castillo (C) flanked by PortSL Chief Executive Officer (L) and New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell (R) discussing the grant aimed at fostering the region as a green hydrogen innovation hub.

Ernest Gray Sr., Security Supervisor

Department: Security

Date Started: May 5, 2022

Previous Jobs at Port: Maritime Police Officer for six years. Tell us about yourself when you are not at work? I love to hunt deer and rabbits. I enjoy riding my Harley Davidson motorcycle and customizing it. I’ve been married to my wife for 21 years and we have two children. My motto has always been: “The only way to do good work is to love what you do!”

Fun Fact: I love to listen to music and wish I would have learned to play guitar. What do you like about working at the Port of South Louisiana? I love to come to work because I love what I do and I enjoy the people I work with.

Kim Landry, Procurement Specialist

Department: Finance Department

Date Started: June 12, 1984

Previous Jobs at Port: Receptionist and Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Director Tell us about yourself when you are not at work? I have been married to my husband, Brent Landry, for 35 years. We have four children, Justin, Jordan, Kaitlyn, and Jacob. We are expecting our first grandchild in September. I enjoy gardening and spending time fishing and crabbing at our camp on Blind River with family.

Fun Fact: I also enjoy deer hunting with my husband and children. What do you like about working at the Port of South Louisiana? I like helping people dealing with numbers. I enjoy the people that I work with — they make me laugh. A day without laughter is a day wasted.

Brionne Brumfield, Intern

School: Dillard University

Degree: Bachelors of Business Administration

Expected Graduation Date: May 2024

Dominique Lewis, Intern

School: Northwestern State University, Natchitoches

Degree: Bachelors of Science, Mass Communication

Expected Graduation Date: May 2024

Malorie Hymel, Intern

School: Southeastern Louisiana University

Degree: Bachelors of Science, Mathematics

Expected Graduation Date: May 2025

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

BY WILLIAM KALEC

Situated along the Mississippi River, the Port of South Louisiana has always been an attractive destination for a variety of industries because of its diverse multimodal capabilities.

Be it by ship, by rail, or by truck, the infrastructure in and around the Port District offers efficient logistical solutions for companies seeking ways to import and export raw materials or finish products. If a tenant needs to get cargo from here to there or from there to here, the Port of South Louisiana takes great pride in ensuring that task gets done.

In that same spirit, a facet of the Port of South Louisiana’s Executive Regional Airport (KAPS) master plan issued to the FAA in 2022 includes expansion plans that would add yet another “mode” to the Port’s intermodal capacities — namely, the ability to send and receive cargo via the air.

“The Port is in the business of moving cargo, and cargo is a worldwide business, so having the ability to do that with cargo planes right here makes a lot of sense on many levels,” said George Groh, Managing Principal of Kutchins & Groh, a respective airport consulting firm that’s handling

As part of the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport’s recently-released master plan, steps are being taken to expand the facility’s runway capabilities.

Midstream operations at the Port of South Louisiana.

the implementation of the KAPS master plan. “It’s all tied together — the railroad, to the interstate, to the water, and then to the airport. It’s all part of making sure you have a complete facility, and making sure you’re fully intermodal to address the needs of moving cargo.”

In order to add that aerial logistical option for companies, though, the airport would have to extend its current runway — which stretches 5,000 feet — by roughly 20 percent to accommodate cargo planes for landing and takeoff. And while the overall surface area of the airport offers plenty of unused space for hangars and other future facilities, the portion of land needed to lengthen the runway to 6,500 feet butted up against a levee project designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Working together, the Port and the Corps drafted designs that realign the levee so that it slightly juts out north and then back in the area where a runway expansion would eventually take place. Once the Corps finishes levee construction adjacent to the airport, the Port would then have clearance to begin its runway project.

While there’s no definitive timetable for runway expansion to commence, Groh said he’s hopeful it could start within three years.

“Once the levee is moved and completed, from there, there shouldn’t be any major difficulties in expanding the current runway the additional 1,500 feet,” Groh said. “The construction of this runway expansion likely won’t be much different than the original runway expansion (4,000 feet to 5,000 feet) when the port acquired dayto-day operation of the airport from the parish.”

Once the runway expansion is complete, the airport’s master plan outlines several additional actions/steps needed to facilitate the anticipated growth in traffic when larger planes (specifically cargo planes) can land and takeoff from KAPS. In particular, the Port would like to construct temporary cargo facilities on the airport grounds suited to handle specific storage needs of various materials. Furthermore, there could be a need to add, lengthen or widen services roads leading to and from the airport, along with constructing additional hangars to accommodate these new, larger planes, and revamp the current terminal or build a new terminal.

“Unlike a lot of airports in the area, [KAPS] has room to grow and opportunities to serve as a ‘reliever’ airport to places like New Orleans International Airport,” Groh said. “That’s why it was important to work with the Corps to relocate the levee and ensure that when the time comes, the airport will be ready for growth and ready to serve the needs of the community.”

Hangars and available property at KAPS. Photo courtesy of Garrett Crawford Productions

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE DINNER

PortSL Commissioner Katie Klibert and St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell.

James Purpera and PortSL Chief Administrative Officer Chambrel Riley-Williams.

PortSL Commissioner Whitney Hickerson and PortSL Special Projects Officer Joel T. Chaisson.

PortSL Commission Vice-Chairwoman Judy Songy and Louisiana State Representative Randal Gaines.

Pictured L-R: Louisiana State Representative Rodney Lyons, PortSL Chief Executive Officer Paul Matthews, Louisiana Senator Eddie Lambert, PortSL Commissioner Stanley Bazile, PortSL Commission Vice-Chairwoman Judy Songy, Louisiana State Senator Edward Price, PortSL Commissioner Whitney Hickerson, PortSL Commissioner D. Paul Robichaux, Louisiana State Representative Gregory Miller, PortSL Commissioner Katie Klibert, Louisiana Senator Gary Smith, Jr., St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell, Louisiana State Representative Randal Gaines, Louisiana State Representative Joseph Stagni, PortSL Commission Chairman Ryan Burks, Louisiana State Representative Joseph Marino, and PortSL Commissioner Joey Murray

Pictured L-R: PortSL Commissioner Joey Murray, Louisiana State Representative Gregory Miller, PortSL Chief Commercial Officer Julia Fisher, and Pivotal GR Solutions Principal Christopher Coulon.

Pictured L-R: PortSL Chief Operations Officer Brian Cox, PortSL Chief Executive Officer Paul Matthews, and Louisiana Police Jury Association Executive Director Guy Cormier.

PortSL Commissioner Stanley Bazile.

PortSL Commissioner D. Paul Robichaux and Louisiana Senator Gary Smith, Jr."

Louisiana State Senators Edward Price and Eddie Lambert."

Pictured L-R: Louisiana State Representative Joseph Marino, PortSL Senior Advisor for Commercial Operations Ted Knight, and Louisiana State Representative Joseph Stagni."

Longest service at PortSL:Kim Landry, 39 years served

Longest service at PortSL: Joseph Benn, 34 years served

Joined PortSL team within the last year: Chambrel Riley-Williams

Joined PortSL team within the last year: Mallory Hymel

Joined PortSL team within the last year: Micah Cormier

PortSL Milestone Employee: Nyler Williams, 25 years served.

Joined PortSL team within the last year: Henry Hopkins

Joined PortSL team within the last year: Ainsley Rodriguez

PortSL Milestone Employee: Edward "Tootie" Nowell, 15 years served. Others not in attendance: Lori Warner, 30 years served.Aaroko Hamilton, 15 years served.

Joined the PortSL team (L-R with CEO Paul Matthews): Ainsley Rodriguez, Chambrel Riley-Williams, Henry Hopkins, Mallory Hymel, and Micah Cormier.

PortSL Milestone Employee: Alex Hernández, 25 years served

LEADERSHIP RIVER REGION

SOY TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION

PortSL PIO Alex Hernández, Leadership River Region Class of 2023.

Leadership River Region Class of 2023. PortSL PIO Alex Hernández participated.

New to the PortSL team IT Program Specialist Milton Corney with PortSL Chief Executive Officer Paul Matthews.

Pictured L-R): PortSL Interns Dominique Lewis, Brionne Brumfield, and Mallory Hymel with PortSL Chief Executive Officer Paul Matthews.

PortSL Chief Operations Officer Brian Cox (front left) and Chief Commercial Officer Julia Fisher (front right) with Soybean Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek (top row, second from the left) and coalition members.

PortSL short-term interns from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Jackson Tinkis and Talsen Smith.

PortSL CEO Paul Matthews (R) with Quebec Government Office in Houston delegate Madame Xin Gao (C), and her attaché, Elisabeth Wagner.

Field Trip: PortSL youngest employees get a tour of Marine Operations.

Travelers from Buras, Louisiana, to meet with a local CFI pilot, Clinton Deras, at KAPS airport. Pilot Malcolm Lincoln owns a hotel, LeMatidora, and a runway in Buras. Walter Heathcock is a captain with Fin Twisters, offering fishing tours and more.

Port of South Louisiana staff and Commissioner Katie Klibert attended the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Legislative Session Recap with remarks from Speaker Schexnayder and Senator Royce Duplessis.

Globalplex Intermodal Terminal

ADDRESS: 155 West 10th Street, Reserve, La. 70084

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box AE Reserve, Louisiana 70084

PHONE: 985-652-9278

FAX: 985-653-0798

E-MAIL: info@portsl.com

WEB: www.portsl.com

CONTACT(S): Julia Fisher, Chief Commercial Officer

LOCATION: River mile 138.5

EQUIPMENT: Two Manitowoc 2250 rail-mounted gantry cranes; 100,000-pound capacity weighing scale for trucks; 100,000 square foot warehouse; 72,000-sq. foot, and 40,000-sq. foot transit shed; and a 177,000 sq. foot paved open storage pad

DOCK: 204 ft. x 660 ft. with upstream and downstream mooring dolphins. allow for dockage of panamax size vessels; 700 ft x 65 ft finger pier general cargo operators associated terminals ph: 985-536-4520

Globalplex Bulk Dock

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box AE Reserve, Louisiana 70084

PHONE: 985-652-9278

FAX: 985-653-0798

E-MAIL : info@portsl.com

WEB: www.portsl.com

CONTACT(S): Julia Fisher, Chief Commercial Officer

LOCATION: River mile 138.5

FUNCTION : Transfer and store bulk, primarily cement fluorspar limestone and wood chips

EQUIPMENT: An 800 tons-per-hour continuous Carlsen ship unloader, a 1,800 tons-perhour ship-loading system, 100,000 tons of cement storage in two storage domes, 70,000 tons of storage for flourspar in an A-frame building and approximately nine acres of paved open storage for wood chips and other products.

DOCK: 507’ x 44’ with upstream and downstream mooring buoys to allow for panamax-size vessels

ADM Reserve

ADDRESS: 2032 La. Highway 44, Reserve, La. 70084

PHONE: 985-536-1151

FAX: 985-536-1152

WEB: ADMWorld.com

CONTACT(S): Mike Landry, generale manager of commercial operations

LOCATION: River mile 139.2

FUNCTION: Grain export elevator.

OTHER: Fully automated

Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 909, La Place, La. 70069-0909

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 355 Airport Road, Reserve, La. 70084

PHONE: 985-652-9278

WEB: portsl.com/airport-services

EMAIL: psl-era@portsl.com

CONTACT: Brian Cox, Chief Operating Officer

LOCATION: N30° 05.25’, W30°34.97

Plains Marketing L.P.

ADDRESS: 6410 Plains Terminal Road, St. James, La. 70086

TERMINAL MANAGER: Craig Ellinwood

PHONE: 225-265-2353

FAX: 225-265-3171

WEB: PAALP.com

LOCATION: Mile marker 158.6

FUNCTION: Storage of petroleum products.

SoLaPort

West Bank industrial site acquired for development into an industrial park located adjacent to Dow in St. Charles Parish.

MPLX L.P. (Pin Oak Terminals)

ADDRESS: 4006 Highway 44, Mt. Airy, La. 70076

CONTACT: Gregg Qualls

PHONE: 504-533-8783

WEB: PinOakTerminals.com

LOCATION: Mile marker 144.1

FUNCTION: Storage of petroleum products.

PSL Westbank St. James

CONTACT: Julia Fisher, Chief Commercial Officer

Property acquired for development.

Globalplex Intermodal Terminal

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA HERNANDEZ