By LEONARD GRAYL’Observateur / May 15, 1999

LAPLACE – The Port of South Louisiana will unveil its master plan for development at a noon press conference Tuesday in Washington D.C., joinedby several members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation, including Sen. John Breaux, Sen. Mary Landrieu and Rep. Billy Tauzin.The master plan will outline improvements planned for the port’s Globalplex Intermodal Terminal in Reserve.

The centerpiece of the master plan will be the unveiling of the port’s new Geographic Information System, a computer model of the Port of South Louisiana, available over the Internet and able to focus on minute detail from all angles.

The GIS will be later displayed at the World Trade Center in New Orleans and may be shortly displayed publicly in the River Parishes, according to Kay Jackson, assistant port director for economic development.

“We’ve been getting lots of calls,” port Executive Director Gary LaGrange told the South Louisiana Port Commission on Wednesday, and added it was likely this was the only port in the world with such a system.

The focus of the developmental plans at Globalplex will be an extension of the general cargo dock from 400 to 600 feet, with the capability of handling much larger vessels and barges.

In addition two Manitowac heavy-duty ship unloaders rated at 150 tons each are being added. Also, new mooring dolphins, catwalks, access rampand truck turning improvements are contemplated.

Inside the Globalplex security fence, 190,000 square feet of laydown area is planned, along with a 50,000-square-foot transit shed on the dock itself.

In 1998, the Port of South Louisiana retained its ranking as America’s largest tonnage port, with more than 218 million tons handled. Sixtypercent of all U.S. grain exports move through this port area, from St.Charles through St. James parishes.In addition, 66 percent of the tonnage moved through the port is imported crude oil, petroleum products and other mineral fuels.

Total tonnage for 1998 was 218,224,124 tons, including 63,380,859 tons of exports, 45,984,139 tons of imports and domestic shipping, which totaled 75,525,243 tons received and 33,333,883 tons shipped.

The top 10 export trading partners were Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Egypt, Jamaica, Taiwan, Netherlands, China, Spain, with 35 percent of the total to other countries.

The top 10 import trading partners were Jamaica, Venezuela, Columbia, Mexico, Nigeria, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Kuwait, Angola and, with 22 percent, other countries.

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