Brandy Christian News

SCF Marine Inc., a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc., announced that its container on barge service, operated by SEACOR AMH, is participating in a 12-month accredited U.S.-based carbon offset program starting June 2020.“Through this initiative, diesel carbon emissions from AMH’s container service and the St. Louis, Memphis and Port Allen terminals will be offset to achieve carbon neutrality, a benefit AMH is proud to extend to its direct and indirect customers,” said Rich Teubner…

The Propeller Club of the U.S. Port of New Orleans honored Brandy D. Christian as their 2019 Maritime Person of the Year at its 86th Annual Maritime Person of the Year Gala on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Metairie Country Club.Read Maritime Logistics Professional's interview with Brandy Christian here.Christian, who serves as President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation (NOPB), is the first woman ever to be honored with this prestigious recognition from the Propeller Club of the U.S.

The American Queen Steamboat Company, owner and operator of the American Queen and American Empress, will launch service on its new American Duchess when it sets sail from New Orleans on Aug. 14, 2017, following its christening a day earlier. The all-suite, 166-guest American Duchess will be the first purpose-built boutique paddle wheeler offering guests the largest suites on the Mississippi River. The American Duchess follows in the pedigree of the company’s namesake American Queen and will offer overnight stays from New Orleans.

Royal Caribbean International announced it will return to New Orleans with a seasonal home-based cruise ship in late 2018. The 915-foot Vision of the Seas will sail seven-night itineraries to destinations across the Bahamas and Yucatan Peninsula from the Port of New Orleans’ Julia Street Cruise Terminal. The ship will sail on Saturdays. “The Port of New Orleans is thrilled to welcome back Royal Caribbean. We look forward to working productively together for many years to come,” said Brandy Christian, Port President and CEO.

The longest and one of the most premium cruise ships ever to dock in New Orleans will sail into the Port’s Julia Street Cruise Terminal Sunday, Feb. 26, just in time for the finale of Mardi Gras festivities. The Celebrity Equinox, a 1,041-foot cruise ship christened in 2009, will make its first visit to the Port of New Orleans, remaining in Port through Feb. 28 – Mardi Gras Day. The ship’s length is equal to 3.47 football fields. “The Port is thrilled to welcome Celebrity Cruises back to New Orleans for an extended port call,” said Brandy Christian, Port President and CEO. Celebrity Equinox holds 2,850 passengers and is the longest cruise ship to berth in New Orleans to date.

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the St. Louis Regional Freightway today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to exchange market and operational information with the goal of growing trade and building upon existing and new business relationships between the two regions and critical ports. The agreement also calls for joint marketing efforts to meet those objectives. The MOU is the culmination of discussions begun during a September 2016 visit to St. Louis by top officials for the Port of New Orleans. At that time, it became evident that it would be mutually beneficial to foster even greater collaboration and leverage the intermodal connectivity between the Port of New Orleans and the St. Louis region.

France-based CMA CGM today announced a new direct weekly container service to Asia from the Port of New Orleans Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. Part of the company’s PEX3 service, the inaugural vessel is scheduled to arrive on January 31 for service by terminal operator Ports America. “CMA CGM is proud to be expanding our presence in New Orleans, further showing our commitment to the Gulf region, and Louisiana specifically. We look forward to continued growth in the region, and are pleased to be contributing to the evolution and development of this vital hub. In the U.S., the Group now offers a global coverage with 23 services in and out of North America to over 150 countries around the world,” said Marc Bourdon, CMA CGM America LLC President.

Container Loading Equipment to Provide Greater Efficiencies for Container on Barge Service Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The Port of New Orleans and the Port of Greater Baton Rouge will acquire specialized container loading equipment to increase efficiencies to the current container on barge shuttle service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans with a newly announced grant of $1,758,595 from the Maritime Administration (MARAD). "The container on barge shuttle service, operated by Seacor AMH…

Port of New Orleans Chief Operating Officer Brandy Christian joined Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards in signing a memorandum of understanding with Cuba on Oct. 4 pledging to expand trade and commerce opportunities between Louisiana and the Caribbean nation. The agreement also calls for joint marketing and information sharing efforts to meet those objectives. “The proximity and historical relationship between Cuba and the Port of New Orleans has us well-positioned should the trade embargo be lifted, and we are prepared to play an important role in trade when the time comes,” said Christian, who signed the MOU with Gov. Edwards and Director General Manuel Fernandez Perez Guerra of the National Port Administration of Cuba.

Green Marine, an environmental certification program for the North American marine industry, elected Port of New Orleans Chief Operating Officer Brandy Christian to its Board of Directors during its annual conference last month. “Brandy Christian’s nomination shows a high-level of commitment to sustainability from the Port of New Orleans,” said Green Marine Executive Director David Bolduc. “We are pleased to have an administrator with her level of expertise sitting on our Board.

The Port of New Orleans’ board of commissioners announced today that port president and chief executive officer Gary LaGrange will retire at the end of his current contract in April 2017.The board is expected to name the port’s current chief operating officer, Brandy Christian, as LaGrange’s successor. LaGrange, a 40-year veteran of the maritime industry, served as president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans since 2001. During his tenure, the port invested more than $500 million in infrastructure…

New Orleans builds enviable cruise traffic on top of a carefully crafted business plan. It may surprise you to learn that, on the lower Mississippi River, cruise traffic now accounts for over one fifth of all revenue at the Port of New Orleans, a major cargo hub. With recently modernized terminals, able to handle big ships, the Crescent City last year accommodated over a million cruise passengers, setting its fourth straight record. How they did it is perhaps more impressive than what they have created…

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.

The American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2013 Cruise Seminar in San Francisco, April 24-26, will kick off with a candid look inside the cruise industry from the perspective of four key cruise line executives and end with a tour of the Port of San Francisco to see the impact of the America’s Cup on port operations. In between these bookend sessions, seminar participants will be treated to a host of presentations ranging from new international regulations on ship air emissions to itinerary planning, cruise facility design, financing and joint-use terminal opportunities.