| P.O. Box 380; Port Allen, LA 70767-0380 AREA: Port Allen Riverfront |
| 09/01/2006 36 Months |
| Current Status |
Effective Date |
Comments |
| Included in Recovery Plan |
04/07/2006 |
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Expand Inland River maritime terminal at the port to expand and diversify economic actvity in the Baton Rouge area by facilitating commerece, processing, distribution and manufacturing capacity.
The Port of Greater Baton Rouge handles over 60,000,000 short tons of cargo annually and is ranked as one of the top ten U.S. ports. This facility will double the ports ability to move containerized cargo on river barges northward through the rivers of Mid-America The Baton Rouge area ranks 20th in the nation in transportation and distribution. The port’s shallow draft terminal which opened in 2003, was built specifically to handle short-sea shipping containers. At the time, short sea shipping methods were just being introduced on the Mississippi River Inland Waterway system. The terminal at Baton Rouge was the first terminal on the Mississippi River design specifically to handle container-on-barge cargo. The terminal has expanded rapidly to the point the Port Commission recently purchased an additional 400 acres adjacent to the terminal for future port expansion.
The need to expand port facilities is paramount and is becoming more evident since the Hurricane Katrina and Rita disasters. The Port Commission has conducted a needs analysis on future infrastructure needs for the next 5 years. Port engineers have identified approximately $175,000,000 at the IRMT to provide additional docks to double the terminals capacity and efficiency, reinforced concrete staging areas, road, water and utility improvements to expand the port’s capabilities. The port is requesting $25 million to assist with these maritime infrastructure needs. These funds will be used in constructing basic infrastructure for development. The funds will be use to provide an additional 200 linear feet of dock to double the IRMT's capacity, new construction of a road with all utilities (water, electric, sewer, gas, drainage, fencing, security, concrete reinforced staging areas, and refrigerated storage. The port will also develop procedures and plans and agreements with lead federal and state agencies to implement as well as priority use for federal and state use of port facilities in the event of future emergencies. The port will seek other funding sources at the federal and state level and leverage private investment to assist with this expansion program.
Use of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge maritime infrastructure became critical during the relief efforts in the aftermath of the hurricanes. The port became center stage for waterborne commerce emergency disaster and relief efforts into the storm affected areas. The port’s public grain elevator was the only operating elevator on the Mississippi River for days after the storm where local farmers could bring their crops for storage and distribution. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Port Allen Lock became a central location and staging area for the USACE. The port became center stage for business interest seeking a transportation outlet to move products. In recent months after the hurricane events, the port has had renewed interest from companies seeking to relocate or locate in and near the Port of Greater Baton Rouge to utilize its intermodal transportation assets. Currently, a ferry vessel converted to dormitories for the Louisiana State University Medical School is moored at the deepwater docks and housing approximately 1,000 students and faculty.
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