Ports Day Being Recognized Today by Seaports Throughout the Western Hemisphere
LaPlace, LA — On April 5th seaports of the Americas will again celebrate Western Hemisphere Ports Day, an opportunity to highlight our industry’s role in job creation and economic prosperity. Ports are a vital part of the transportation infrastructure within the Western Hemisphere connecting farmers, manufacturers, workers and consumers to the global marketplace.
Led by the American Association of Port Authorities – and united in our common goal of creating prosperity throughout the Hemisphere – we are proud to join hundreds of ports in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, to highlight and celebrate the value of ports.
Like ports worldwide, we have an ongoing commitment to remind our community and its leaders about the important role we play in South Louisiana and as a vital link to the global economy.
The importance of ports in our region is well documented. According to IHS Markit’s World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2016 totaled 3.49 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.01 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.71 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$941 billion, while North American ports handled 1.79 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.07 trillion.
However, the economic worth of all cargo in terms of jobs and business activity is much greater than its market value. According to Martin Associates of Lancaster, Pa., in the U.S. alone, port activity generates over 23 million jobs and accounts for over one quarter of the nation’s economy.
Ports also play a critical role in providing goods that impact our everyday lives. Millions of tons of food, clothing, medicine, fuel and building materials, as well as consumer electronics and toys, move through Western Hemisphere seaports every day.
And the volume of cargo shipped by water is expected to dramatically increase over the next 20 years, as will the number of passengers traveling through our seaports. To meet these demands, we’re committed to keeping our ports navigable, secure and sustainable.
We are proud to join hundreds of Western Hemisphere seaports in the celebration of Ports Day. In support of workers, farmers, employers, manufacturers and consumers everywhere, we are excited to meet the growing demands of the future.
The Port of South Louisiana, founded in 1960, has grown in size and strength to become the largest tonnage port in the Western Hemisphere as well as, according to a recent report by international shipping magazine Fairplay, the 16th ranked port in the world out of 5,000 ports. The Port of South Louisiana’s mission is to promote maritime commerce, trade, and development along with establishing industrial facilities resulting in job creation and a stronger tax base for the region.
The Port of South Louisiana is not only the #1 grain exporter in the United States, distributing over 50 percent of the nation’s grain, but also the highest ranked exporter in North America. The resident industry within the Port includes companies in the petrochemical, fertilizer, and logistics trades. The tri-parish region has attracted $23.262 billion in investments from these businesses, primarily due to location and the Port’s many competitive advantages.
The Port of South Louisiana handles over $69 billion in trade annually that supports over 30 thousand direct jobs (6 out of 10 jobs) in the River Region, which translates to over 83 thousand jobs (1 out of 25) in the state of Louisiana. Regionally, the Port contributes $1.8 billion in income, $14.4 billion in revenue, and $72.5 million in state and local taxes. As stated in its mission, the Port continues to encourage foreign and domestic ventures to establish industry in the River Region and works assiduously to improve its infrastructure, thereby creating job opportunities for the citizens of the River Parishes.
— Paul Aucoin, Executive Director, Port of South Louisiana
About the Port of South Louisiana
The Port of South Louisiana is a 54-mile port district on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, encompassing the parishes of St. Charles, St. John and St. James. The facilities located within the port’s district consistently handle over a quarter billion short tons of cargo annually, ranking it the largest tonnage port district in the Western Hemisphere (and the 16th largest in the world), the nation’s greatest grain exporter, and one of the major energy transfer ports in the United States. Along the 108 miles of deep-water frontage on both banks of the river there are seven grain transfer facilities, four major oil refineries, 11 petrochemical manufacturing facilities and several other facilities for a total of more than 50 docks owned and operated by an impressive group of companies in the Port District, such as ADM, ArcelorMittal, Cargill, DowDupont, Marathon, Shell, Nucor Steel, Occidental, Valero, and Occidental Chemical. The Port also owns and operates the Executive Regional Airport (KAPS). To learn more, visit us at www.portsl.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on LinkedIn.
For more information about this particular topic or about the Port of South Louisiana, contact Alexandra “Alex” Hernández, Public Information Officer, at (985) 652-9278 or ahernandez@portsl.com.