Unprecedented in both its thoroughness and the cooperative effort required from all five lower Mississippi River deep-draft ports in its formation, a comprehensive joint study analyzing maritime commercial transit in south Louisiana was formally released in late March.
Officially titled the “Lower Mississippi River Commodity Analysis,” the report – which was compiled by international consulting firm Martin Associates but required the cooperation of port officials serving as essential partners in the data collection process — examined every aspect of cargo activities at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, the Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana, the Port of St. Bernard, and the Port of Plaquemines.
This vital and never-before-collected-as-a-whole information will serve as the factual foundation from which industry stakeholders, maritime commerce officials, economic development leaders, and local and state governments will form strategic methods used to fortify operational/procedural strengths and address weaknesses or inefficiencies, helping to ensure the region’s long-term stability and growth in an ultra-competitive global marketplace.
Or, put more succinctly, this report will serve as the industry’s compass for expanded trade, foreign investment, and job creation.
“Given the complexities of the maritime and international trade industry, it can be challenging to fully articulate every nuance within a readily available report,” said Harrison Crabtree, the director of the World Trade Center of New Orleans. “However, a key objective was to ensure this report was accessible to a broad audience, encompassing industry experts, legislators, and economic development officials alike. I think this report really shines in taking a complex subject and making it clear and useful for everyone.”
“What really stands out to me is the sheer scale of the opportunities before us, especially when you compare them to any challenges,” Crabtree said, later. “The state’s focus on future energy and the aggressive business attraction efforts by Louisiana Economic Development are, going to create some serious growth in cargo activity for the Lower Mississippi River.”
The true genesis of this comprehensive report dates back to the Fall of 2023. Taking a cue from the state legislature, which sought more interconnectivity and collaboration amongst the five lower Mississippi ports, then-Port of New Orleans Board Chairman Joe Toomy approached neighboring port executives about sparking a constructive initial dialogue. Staying true to his pitch of working toward the betterment of an entire regional industry rather than amplifying a particular port or ports, Toomy gradually began to soften his peers, who were understandably hesitant to share potentially proprietary information/processes.
“Not only did I convey the need for increased cooperation when I met with officials from all five ports, but I stressed the importance of being proactive about it,” Toomy said. “This wasn’t about favoring one port over another. This was about coming together, and working together, for the betterment of the region.
“It began with a dialogue in which all five ports participated, and that advanced into what many would say is a historic undertaking in this comprehensive regional cargo study.”
The final report highlighted the geographic edge the Mississippi River provides in maritime transit and applauded the efforts made by several ports to increase that advantage by providing shippers ample intermodal opportunities (rail, for example) to move cargo in budget-friendly and environmentally-efficient manners.
The report listed recent and rapid growth in various commodities (grain, biofuels, precious metals, and more), identified opportunities to increase cargo volume in emerging markets like forest products and aluminum rubber, forecasted global commodity trends to enable the region to stay ahead of the curve and meet the future demands of the market place, and emphasized the importance of positioning south Louisiana as a leader in the future of energy – both traditional and alternative.
Conversely, the report also brought attention to several blind spots in the industry, and presented constructive and vital work-arounds that can offset natural and man-made disadvantages, such as interference from pre-existing infrastructure.
“One of the most critical calls to action highlighted in this report, in my opinion, is the urgent necessity for a downriver container terminal,” Crabtree said. “The increasing size of modern vessels, coupled with the limitations imposed by the Crescent City Connection on the Port of New Orleans’ current terminal, severely restricts our growth potential. This report underscores the limited opportunities we face without such a facility, which is crucial for maintaining competitiveness with regions like Houston and Mobile and for driving significant economic growth throughout Louisiana.”
As regional industry advocates have trumpeted for years, collectively the five ports located along the lower Mississippi River serve as the largest Port System in the Western Hemisphere – a powerful economic engine on micro and macro levels when all pistons are pumping in harmony. That was the message Toomy conveyed in 2023 and remains the message to this day: that cooperation and collaboration between the ports isn’t a threat to each entity’s autonomy, but rather a strategic alignment that will reinforce the region’s economic profile for decades to come.
And, as Toomy explains, the comprehensive cargo report was simply Step 1 in what should be a beneficial long-term collective process.
“From my first meeting, I addressed to the group that within other major ports around the country, this was where they started, this was their first step – a thorough, joint study in which all entities cooperated and contributed,” Toomy said. “Along the way, there were phases, but ultimately, it led to a full-scale Master Plan for the region.
“That, in my opinion, should be the end goal in our region, too – to continue cooperating and forming a strategic approach that doesn’t play favorites between ports but bolsters and strengthens the regional and state economy fully and efficiently.”
