Spanning 54 miles on both sides of the Mississippi River, the Port of South Louisiana is the second-largest tonnage port in the Western Hemisphere. For two consecutive years, the Port has seen increases in tonnage and revenue and this trend is projected to continue as the Port forges ahead with strategic expansions and improvements, particularly at its world-class, 335-acre Globalplex Intermodal Terminal on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Reserve, Louisiana.
The Globalplex Business Model
“Globalplex is run like an Industrial Park with multi modal access,” said Micah Cormier, Director of Business Development and External Affairs at the Port of South Louisiana. The facility handles vessels and barges and has two major rail lines running through it. In addition, it provides warehousing and storage for bulk and break-bulk, cargo, and leases space to manufacturing, logistics and distribution companies.
“We are a government entity but operate with a business mentality,” Cormier said. “While we follow rules, regulations, and laws, we are constantly innovating and respond quickly to changes in the global economy. We actively engage with engineers and designers to improve our facilities and we are aggressively pursuing expansion and improvement projects.”
Go Big
The largest of these projects is the construction of a second dock access bridge leading to the Globalplex general cargo dock. Currently trucks use the same bridge for ingress and regress. The new access bridge will substantially improve efficiency by allowing simultaneous ingress and regress flow enabling trucks to follow a circular route. This will not only optimize cargo transfer efficiency, but will also provide greater access for heavy loads including oversized equipment.
NATCO Food Service
Another major Globalplex project involves the expansion of the NATCO Food Service cold storage facility. NATCO is a fourth-generation family business specializing in meats but has also expanded its product line to dry goods, milk, dairy, and eggs. Most restaurants in the area get their steaks, for example, from NATCO Food Service. The expansion of their facility will allow NATCO to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for their products and services.
Crystal Hot Sauce
Baumer Foods, the third-generation family business that produces Crystal Hot Sauce, will have its Globalplex facility modernized to improve and expand their manufacturing and production capabilities, ensuring everyone’s demand for Crystal Hot Sauce products are met.
Sustainability and Expansion
“At the Port of South Louisiana, we have made environmental sustainability a pillar in our mission as we seek private investments that not only create jobs for River Region families, but are also safe for our community,” said Paul Matthews, CEO of the Port of South Louisiana.
Two major projects, in particular – H2theFuture and L4T Louisiana – will go a long way in helping the region achieve its carbon management goals while retaining and creating jobs for the local community.
Led by the Greater New Orleans Development Foundation, H2theFuture has partnered with twenty-five organizations to build a clean hydrogen energy cluster aimed at decarbonizing the southern Louisiana industrial corridor. The Port of South Louisiana is planning a Hydrogen Fueling Barge to accommodate the refueling requirements for the hydrogen-based, methanol-fueled vessels designed to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to H2theFuture goals. This project will contribute to the creation of new career opportunities while protecting the environment in South Louisiana.
Life for Tyres Group Limited (L4T) is Europe’s largest end-of-life tire recycling company and in February 2024 it announced an investment of $46 million to establish its first U.S. processing facility on 10 acres at the Port of South Louisiana. It will convert end-of-life tires into high-quality sustainable commodities. L4T says its patented approach reduces up to 90% of greenhouse gas emissions when compared with conventional tire recycling processes.
When the Life for Tyres partnership with the Port of South Louisiana was announced, Governor Jeff Landry said it was a “new project is a perfect example of the power of the ports to drive investment and job creation in Louisiana.”
Further Improvements
Other projects on the radar include improvements to the Building 71 Floor & Belt system, the W. 10th Street Property Acquisition and Guard Station projects, Rail Spur improvements, and a Guesthouse Rehabilitation project.
Challenges Ahead
The biggest challenge to improvement projects is the rising cost of materials and resources experienced across the board. To address this, instead of attempting to achieve everything on a long wish list of projects, the Port of South Louisiana is zeroing in on those projects that can be funded now and that will provide the best return on investment for the local economy.
“Through relentless innovation and strategic leaps, we’re scripting a narrative of growth,” Matthews said. “Our team is focused on strengthening our partnerships with global shippers and industry along the Mississippi River.”
Physical and cybersecurity are also vitally important factors. The Port of South Louisiana covers 54 miles of river forming a critical section of the super maritime highway that services 31 states and two Canadian provinces. The Port’s top trading partners for exports include China, Japan, Colombia, Mexico, and the Netherlands while, for imports, top trading partners include Jamaica, Brazil, China, Peru, and Mexico. With such a large percentage of the nation’s cargo moving through the Port, physical and cybersecurity risks can have a national and global impact. That’s why every project is carefully funded to not only increase the efficiency and profitability of the Port, but also to ensure improved security to cargo, equipment, infrastructure, and personnel.
Building a Port for the Future
To attract a new cohort of talent, the Port of South Louisiana in March 2024 hosted hundreds of local high school students participating in the Inland River Ports and Terminals’ (IRPT) We Work the Waterways program which builds lasting connections between communities and the people who make up the maritime, shipping, and logistics industries. The program aims to foster appreciation of south Louisiana waterways and give young people an insight into career opportunities in the industry. And with projects like H2theFuture and L4T Louisiana, the opportunities to create a greener, more efficient region will only grow.
“We at the Port of South Louisiana are proud to be putting shovels in the ground to get these important projects started,” said Cormier.
