By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

CONVENT – Officials with the Port of South Louisiana spoke of partnerships and progress during a report to members of the St. James Parish Council at a recent meeting in Convent.

Linda Prudhomme, business development director for the port, updated the council on various port projects across the River Parishes. Prudhomme also spoke of the unique partnerships the port has with St. James, St. John and St. Charles parishes.

“There is a unique balance in the River Parishes in that commercial and industrial boons in one area can affect the entire region,” Prudhomme said.

Prudhomme offered on overview of 10 current port projects either in development, in mid progress, or completed. Those projects include:

• Expansions at Plains All American, a St. James company that stores, transports and markets crude oil and refined products. The company is looking to add more storage space to its west bank facility in the community of St. James. Prudhomme also mentioned that a company that converts solid fuels to liquid fuels is looking into a few deep-water sites along the Mississippi River in St. James Parish. She said the new investment, if secured, could create up to 500 jobs over a five-year period.

• Construction of a new finger pier at the port’s Globalplex terminal in Reserve that will allow for more docking of cargo ships. The project began construction earlier this year and should be completed in late 2011. This project was announced at the same time construction was completed on a 4,000-square-foot storage shed at the port’s Globalplex facility in Reserve. The facility gives the port more storage space for dry goods.

• Lengthening and widening a runway at the St. John Airport in Reserve. The port assumed control of the airport earlier this year in an effort to turn it into a cargo hub. The port wants to add 1,000 feet to the length and widen it about 25 feet. Prudhomme also discussed plans for the port to widen Louisiana Highway 637, or West 10th Street, in Reserve, which is a major access road for the GlobalPlex facility.

• Southern Recycling is constructing a general cargo dock with access roadway on the west bank of the Mississippi River near Killona in St. Charles Parish. Prudhomme said the company, which recently relocated to the area from New Orleans, is also a partner in a plan to build a $120 million industrial park on 500 acres of land on the west bank of St. Charles.

She also said an unnamed company that provides conditioned storage facilities for bulk liquids is applying for permits to build a dock and a storage facility on the east bank of the Mississippi River in St. John Parish. Prudhomme said the company has offered no time frame for when the project might begin.

“I’m leaving the name out because I don’t to generate unnecessary competition,” Prudhomme said. “We don’t want to lose this opportunity.”

Prudhomme also addressed new marketing efforts in conjunction with economic development departments in St. James, St. John and St. Charles that would show the offerings of the port and the River Region. She said the port has hosted a summit for community developers and has also participated in familiarization tours with site selectors.

“These site selectors, who scope out new locations for industry, have been amazed by what we have to offer,” Prudhomme said. “Most had no idea what it was like along the river until they got down here. The visits were very positive.”