From staff reports
L’Observateur

RESERVE — Associated Terminals reached an agreement to acquire the assets of St. James Stevedoring Company.

The news announced last week means the combined company will create the largest and most diverse stevedoring and terminal services provider operating on the Lower Mississippi River, company officials said.

The transaction is anticipated to close during the fourth quarter of this year.

Associated Terminals President Todd Fuller said officials are excited to work with the SJS team and their customers.

“We know many of them very well, and the transition will be seamless for all,” Fuller said. “Our organizations have shared common philosophies that focused on delivering premier customer service, driving a culture of safety and creating fulfilling careers for our team members.

“We look forward to building upon this foundation to provide our combined customer base with unmatched service, flexibility and operating capabilities.”

The combined company will continue offering customers efficient cargo transfer while minimizing time in port by leveraging the combined enterprise’s high capacity equipment, technology and berthing locations.

Customers working with Associated Terminals will have additional locations to create a logistical and economic advantage.

Transaction highlights include:

• Combined fleet of 14 high capacity Gottwald crane barges

• 21 deep draft berths capable of facilitating ocean vessel transloading 

• Operating locations from mile 55 AHP to mile 228 AHP on the Lower Mississippi River

• Multiple dockside and in-plant service locations along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas

• SJS senior management to join the Associated team

• SJS proprietary technology to be deployed throughout Associated’s operating footprint

• Strategic alliance established between Associated Terminals and St. James Technologies

Paul Morton, St. James Stevedoring Company president, said bringing together St. James’ focus on technology and innovation and Associated’s strong geographic and operating history will create a company with services and capabilities never available before to cargo interests on the Lower Mississippi River.

“We are eager to join the Associated team and look forward to executing the organization’s strategic goals as we begin to work together as a combined entity,” Morton said.

Associated Terminals Director and Owner David Fennelly said St. James Stevedoring is an innovative company, being the first to invest in cranes from Gottwald Port Technology as the future of the midstream stevedoring business.

“SJS also has enhanced the capacity of their equipment through sophisticated technology which we feel will become the industry standard,” Fennelly said. “This acquisition will create efficiencies that will benefit our present and future customers.”

Officials said American River Transportation Co., a subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Company, and its 50 percent interest in St. James Stevedoring Partners LLC, would not be involved in the transaction.

Associated Terminals is a cargo handling and logistical solutions company operating terminal facilities on the Lower Mississippi River. The company provides high quality, customized services, including agricultural commodity exports, in-plant services, midstream operations and terminal port operations, for both the import and export of commodities.

St. James Stevedoring is a mid-stream stevedoring company and in-plant service provider operating on the Lower Mississippi River. The company is an innovator of integrating technology into stevedoring and terminal operations.