AVONDALE, La. — Avondale Global Gateway has a new and improved gateway.
Host, the logistic hub’s owner, joined economic development officials and elected leaders for a Feb. 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility’s new $2 million gate complex, which features new scales and an improved gatehouse to help reduce the time it takes for trucks to come and go.
The project was supported by $1.5 million in Louisiana State Capital Outlay funding though a partnership with Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commision (JEDCO), which served as the public entity sponsor for the project. Host contributed $500,000.
“To have an effective shipping terminal, you need to move trucks in and out of here as best as you can,” said Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng at the event. “Time is money. So the new scale house, foundation, utilities and drainage are going to directly improve throughput and turnaround time. And obviously, that is very critical.”
State Rep. Kyle Green, Jefferson Parish District 2 Councilman Deano Bonano, Host Chief Financial Officer Matthew Mancheski and JEDCO President and CEO Jerry Bologna were also in attendance.
Avondale Global Gateway is a multimodal logistics terminal with warehousing and storage capabilities that occupies the site of the former Avondale Shipyard. It covers 275 acres on the West Bank of the Mississippi River just upriver from the Huey P. Long Bridge. It has five docks and over one mile of waterfront with access to ships, barges, rail and trucks. About 75 to 100 trucks visit the site per day.
Host, a maritime company formerly headquartered in Virginia, acquired the site in 2018 and brought it back into commerce in 2022. The company moved its headquarters to Avondale the following year.
Early in 2023, Host announced a plan to sell AGG to the Port of South Louisiana for $445 million, which was later renegotiated down to $330 million. Later in the year, Host and PortSL hit pause on the plan and its fate is uncertain.
Founded in 1923, Host specializes in agency services, terminal operations, stevedoring and marine assets.
