Jefferson Parish News

Only one of three available areas was sold during the United States' first ever offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.The auction, held by the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) offered up three sites for offshore wind development, including one in Louisiana (Lake Charles) and two in Texas (Galveston I and II). Together, the three shallow water sites contain a theoretical potential of 3.7 gigawatts (GW). While 16 companies had prequalified to participate in the auction, bid activity was subdued.

Three people are dead following a shooting incident at a shipyard in Harvey, La., near New Orleans.The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a double homicide at the FMT Shipyard & Repair facility on the West bank of the Mississippi River, and that a suspect was later killed after a shootout with deputies.Around 1 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a report of a shooting at the shipyard. Upon arrival, officials located two unresponsive adult males—both contract employees at the shipyard—who had suffered gunshot wounds.

An offshore wind hub is coming to the site of the former Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana as the region ramps up to service the growing renewable energy industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.New Orleans-based Gulf Wind Technology (GWT) announced Monday it is collaborating with energy supermajor Shell to establish a research, training and technology demonstration program at GWT’s facility within the Avondale Global Gateway in Jefferson Parish.The news comes after the Biden administration…

Rhe Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) on Thursday elected Jack C. Jensen, Jr. to serve as Board Chairman, succeeding Charles H. Ponstein, whose term as Chairman ended this month. Also elected were Joseph F. Toomy, who will serve as Vice Chairman, and Walter J. Leger, Jr., who will serve as Secretary-Treasurer for the nine-month term.“Jack Jensen has brought decades of transportation and logistics experience to this board, and we look forward to his…

The damage to Louisiana’s power grid from Hurricane Ida is so extensive that the U.S. Coast Guard has joined the task of assessing the wreckage, a departure from its maritime security duties.More than 1 million homes and businesses along the U.S. Gulf Coast are without power following Ida’s landfall late Sunday. The storm destroyed transmission lines up and down the Mississippi River, including one large tower that collapsed near Avondale, Louisiana, leaving a conductor from an electrical line in the river itself.“Where and how the tower fell…

Responders are searching by air and sea to locate a barge crew member who went missing Tuesday near mile marker 105 in the Lower Mississippi River, the Coast Guard said.The Coast Guard said its watchstanders in New Orleans were notified around 3 p.m. Tuesday that one of Zito Fleeting's barge workers had fallen overboard near Jefferson Heights in Jefferson Parish, La. Missing is 44-yeard-old Elisander Alvardo, last seen wearing coveralls and no life jacket.The Coast Guard issued…

The former chairman of the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners Joe Toomy is rejoining the group.Gov. John Bel Edwards reappointed Joseph F. Toomy to the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans.Toomy was sworn in during today’s monthly board meeting and will serve a five-year term succeeding Laney J. Chouest as one of two Jefferson Parish representatives on the seven-member regional board. He previously served on the Board of Commissioners from 2009 to 2014 and served as chairman in 2013.With the Port’s acquisition of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad effective Feb. 1, 2018, Port Commissioners also serve as directors of the New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB) board…

New Orleans braced for severe flooding with residents told to hunker down as a growing tropical storm in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico headed for landfall late on Friday or early on Saturday as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019.U.S. President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the state of Louisiana late on Thursday, hours after the region's oil production was cut by half as energy companies evacuated offshore drilling facilities and a coastal refinery.Tropical Storm…

The former Avondale Shipyard facility in Louisiana will be redeveloped into a logistics and intermodal hub under a joint venture group that took ownership of the shuttered shipyard today.The Avondale site, located just upriver from New Orleans, built and repaired commercial and military vessels for more than 75 years, most recently as part of Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division, until the facility ceased operations in December 2014.New development plans announced today will see the 254-acre site repurposed as a multimodal…

Commercial workboat philanthropy on display on PT-305: WWII Museum’s PT-305 sails again after a far reaching donor-funded restoration. In March, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans launched its reconstructed PT-305, built locally by Higgins Industries in 1943. The museum acquired the boat known as the USS Sudden Jerk in 2007, restoration began in 2009, and it now sails Lake Pontchartrain as an interactive exhibit. PT-305, with a fifteen-man crew, belonged to a 12-ship squadron operating in the Mediterranean from 1944 until the war ended in 1945.

The Coast Guard medevaced a 64-year-old man from Bayou Rigolettes near Lafitte, Louisiana, Saturday.   Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 11:35 a.m. from Jefferson Parish Sherriff’s Office that a man fell overboard from his boat into Bayou Rigolettes and suffered severe injuries throughout his body.    Sector New Orleans directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans to recover the man.   The crew arrived on scene at 12:01 p.m. and transported the man to Air Station New Orleans to awaiting emergency medical services.

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has elected Mr. Michael W. Kearney chairman. Mr. Kearney represents Orleans Parish and joined the Board in December of 2012 when he was appointed by former Gov. Bobby Jindal. He succeeds Mr. William T. Bergeron, whose term as chairman expired this month. Mr. Bergeron will continue to serve as a commissioner. In addition, the Board elected Mr. Robert R. Barkerding vice chairman and Mr. Laney T. Chouest secretary-treasurer. Mr.

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to an oil tanker vessel allision on the Mississippi River near New Orleans.   The incident involved one vessel, Cyprus-flagged tanker Nordbay, which struck the Jefferson Parish water intake at mile marker 104. The 249-meter-long ship was then directed to the New Orleans General Anchorage, but allided with the Governor Nicholls Street Wharf while in route.   The 62,000 gross ton vessel suffered a hole in its hull, which reportedly discharged ballast water, the Coast Guard said.   No pollution has been reported, though the incident remains under investigation.

Port of New Orleans' Board of Commissioners Elects William T. Bergeron Chairman; Michael W. Kearney Elected Vice Chair, Robert Barkerding Jr. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans today elected William T. Bergeron chairman. Bergeron represents St. Bernard Parish and joined the Board in November of 2012 when he was appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. He succeeds Scott H. Cooper, whose term as chairman expired this month. Cooper will continue to serve as a commissioner. In addition, Michael W. Kearney was elected vice chairman and Robert R. Barkerding, Jr. as its secretary-treasurer.

Governor Bobby Jindal appointed south Louisiana businessman and entrepreneur Laney J. Chouest to the Board of the Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. Chouest, who was sworn in during today’s Board meeting, will serve a five-year term, succeeding Joseph F. Toomy, one of two Jefferson Parish representatives on the regional Board that governs Port operations in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes. A native of Galliano, La. and resident of New Orleans, Chouest is the owner and developer of NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La.

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans mourns the passing of former Board Chairman Francis E. “Hank” Lauricella. Gov. Mike Foster appointed Mr. Lauricella to the Board in April of 1997 and he served as Board Chairman from October 2001 until June of 2002. “Mr. Lauricella’s leadership was critical during a period of Port expansion and diversification, such as the construction of the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal and the meteoric rise of the Port’s cruise industry,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. Prior to his service on the Port’s Board, Mr.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to work with the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office LOSCO, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources LDNR, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality LDEQ, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries LAWLF, the Louisiana State Police LSP, and Jefferson Parish Emergency Services to minimize environmental damage resulting from an allision between a tow vessel and a wellhead in the Barataria Waterway, which occurred at approximately 1 a.m., July 27. The Unified Command Post, established at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, is reporting that the wellhead was secured at 6:05 p.m. August 1 and is no longer emitting oil or natural gas into Barataria Bay. The wellhead is also equipped with a light.

In support of Super Bowl XLVII, a team of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies begin maritime safety and security operations on the lower Mississippi River, Monday. Response boats, patrol vehicles and enforcement personnel from more than 16 law enforcement agencies will conduct maritime security operations in the downtown New Orleans area and at the Port of New Orleans. All agencies will work together within a unified command, lead by the Port of New Orleans Harbor Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide a coordinated safe and secure environment for Super Bowl participants and the general public. This level of interagency coordination for the Super Bowl is the culmination of several months of planning involving all law enforcement agencies.

(NYSE: NOC) and the U.S. Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector. Louisiana's largest city and to honor one of the world's major ports. Orleans. Nagin, the principal speaker for the traditional Navy ceremony. Coulon. beginning of a ship's construction. as well as initial prefabrication work. Southeast Louisiana," said U.S. Rep. Congressional District. expected lifetime in the fleet. and our nation," said Mitchell B. Secretary of the Navy (Ships). world. ship," said Dr. Philip A. president and president of the company's Ship Systems sector. international terrorists wherever they lurk and wherever they hide. and land elements of a U.S. amphibious warfare mission. transport up to 700 Marines. 113- and LDT 1179-classes of amphibious ships. part of our sea base," said Lt. Gen. Dennis M.

William E. Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Stewart Enterprises, Inc. announced the election of Thomas M. Kitchen to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Kitchen is an investment management consultant with Equitas Capital Advisors, LLC in New Orleans. During a 25-year career with Avondale Industries, Inc., the nation's fifth largest shipbuilder, he served as president, chief financial officer and board member. He currently serves on the board of Conrad Industries, a marine fabricator headquartered in Morgan City, La. Mr. Rowe said, "We are very fortunate to have Tom Kitchen serving on our board. Mr. Kitchen holds both an undergraduate degree and master's degree in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans, which recognized him as its 1997 Alumnus of the Year.

With State and Federal Assistance, Huntington Ingalls to Explore Options for Avondale Conversion; Save Our Shipyard Coalition Hails New Developments. "This is good news for the people of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana—indeed America," declared Metal Trades Department President Ron Ault, welcoming the announcement that Huntington Ingalls will collaborate with state and federal authorities to explore options to transition Avondale. One of those options would be converting the facility into a commercial shipyard. "We look forward to working with the state and all our stakeholders to maintain Avondale as the largest private employer in the state and as a pathway to the middle class for future generations," Ault said.

The Coast Guard is involved in the search for two missing boaters in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain this afternoon after their small boat was located overturned in the lake Monday afternoon. Coast Guard rescue boat and helicopter crews are searching for Frank Andrew and Gretchen Life, both of Gretna, La. The Causeway Police initially located the boat, a homemade vessel of about 20 feet, near the Causeway Bridge Monday and notified the Coast Guard at about 2:30 p.m. A Coast Guard Station New Orleans smallboat crew was immediately launched to investigate the report and conduct an initial search. The crew obtained the registration number from the vessel, but lacking any correlating information such as a mayday call, flare sighting, or overdue report, returned to base.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and International Shipholding Corp. President Erik L. Johnsen announced the company will relocate its corporate headquarters from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans, where the business was founded in 1947. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange as ISH, the company owns and operates a global fleet of waterborne cargo vessels. ISH recorded annual revenue of more than $310 million in its just concluded 2013 fiscal year. After Hurricane Katrina, recovery challenges led the company to relocate its corporate headquarters to Mobile.