Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening Project Moves Forward
The Mississippi River Ship Channel could be the first port complex on the Gulf Coast to reach a depth of 50 feet now that the Director’s Report has been signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Elected officials and industry leaders have long worked to increase the channel’s depth to 50 feet, which is the same depth of the expanded Panama Canal.In signing the Report, Corps of Engineers Director of Civil Works James C. Dalton stated the project is “economically justified and…
Brandy Christian is New Port of New Orleans COO
Current COO Patrick J. Gallwey to Retire in March After 34 Years. Brandy D. Christian has been named the new Chief Operating Officer of the Port of New Orleans by President and CEO Gary LaGrange, succeeding Patrick J. Gallwey, who will retire March 1 after 34 years with the Port. Christian comes to the Port after 14 years with the Port of San Diego serving for the past five years as vice president, strategy and business development. During her tenure with California’s fourth largest cargo port, Christian was the driving force behind securing major accounts for the cruise and cargo business lines at the Port. She was also instrumental in significantly improving operational processes and reducing costs for the public agency.
Senate Hearing on Emission Reductions
Pictured is Senator Boxer. On February 14, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works conducted a legislative hearing on the Marine Vessel Emissions Reduction Act of 2007 (S. 1499). Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) discussed the harmful air emissions from ships and the measures that would be required if her proposed legislation were enacted. Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) pointed out that adoption of MARPOL Annex VI is preferable to enacting unilateral legislation.
LA Ports Commission Strategic Plan
The Ports Association of Louisiana has commissioned The Shaw Group to create a strategic plan for the collective future of Louisiana’s 30 ports. The $700,000, 10-month study, aims to position Louisiana’s extensive port system to garner a larger share of future cargo coming into the United States. According to the American Association of Port Authorities, freight moving through U.S. ports is expected to grow 50 percent by 2020 and containerized cargo could double during that period. Louisiana has three of the 10 highest-tonnage ports in the nation and stands to gain a significant portion of new business by investing now in new transportation infrastructure…
