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GLPC and the Port Celebrate 60 Years With Renewed Focus
As Port Fourchon geared up to push forward, full force into 2020, they were met head-on with multiple challenges, as was everyone in our country.
COVID-19 caused many of the Port tenants and the Port itself to slam on the brakes and come to a screeching halt. While oil and gas is considered essential, the manner in which employees had to come to work changed drastically.
“As a region, country, and Port, we have experienced plenty of challenges in these first few months of this newest calendar year,” shared Chett Chiasson, Executive Director. “While these challenges have tested us all, I am pleased to report that we have continued moving forward unimpeded. This is a credit to our hard-working staff, the guidance and oversight of our Board of Commissioners, and our valued tenants, who have truly risen to the occasion during these unprecedented times. Through following state/parish and CDC guidelines, which includes, but is not limited to; practicing social distancing, washing hands regularly, using hand-sanitizing agents, and implementing other uniform changes throughout the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) when it comes to disinfecting work spaces, we have continued to work towards projects and initiatives that hopefully make our agency and Port stronger than ever.”
Acutely aware of the struggles many of the tenants faced, the Port was able to offer short term rental relief across the board to assist in this difficult time. They have also worked on creative solutions with some of their tenants on ways to help them maintain their workforce through this stretch.
Chaisson has been instrumental in taking the first steps to getting our economy up and running again, safely. He was selected to sit on a task force aimed at helping businesses come back online throughout our state. As the Board President of the South Central Industrial Association (SCIA), Chaisson and his colleagues sent a letter to our legislative leadership in Washington, D.C, including President Donald Trump to encourage them and him to take further steps to help the oil and gas industry through this downturn. On behalf of the GLPC Board and valued tenants, Chaisson also drafted and sent a letter to President Trump highlighting ways he could aid in our eventual recovery from what has become a tumultuous time.
Port Fourchon and GLPC have continued to dedicate themselves to moving projects forward to be ready as business comes back online. Starting January 1st, the GLPC and Port Fourchon entered its 60th anniversary with high hopes, which included the launch of a new logo and brand. Out of respect, they decided to postpone the debut of this impactful new identity and instead focus on the projects at hand.
They have continued to work on approvals to dredge Belle Pass to 50-feet, and just recently received approval from the Corps of Engineers and the Assistant Secretary of the Army to move forward with Congressional Authorization to dredge Belle Pass, Bayou Lafourche to Flotation Canal, and the Northern Expansion to 30-feet with the understanding that the next phase will see us continuing for an additional 20-feet. In the meantime, the infrastructure needed for the Fourchon Island development can begin.
Chaisson explained how this eventual investment will serve as a premier Deepwater rig, repair, and refurbishment facility, along with providing 86-million cubic yards of sediment over the 50-year lifespan of the project.
“This rich sediment will not only help to further build-up Port Fourchon but will also aid greatly in the coastal restoration and protections needed for areas around Port Fourchon and the greater community,” he said.
Of further importance to Port Fourchon, their future LNG project continues to slowly inch closer to becoming a reality. Chaisson shared a recent productive meeting with Energy World officials reaffirmed the company’s initial commitment that will see them investing nearly $900 million in Port Fourchon and Lafourche Parish.
Additionally, the Port is progressing through the design-bid-build model for the construction of an Airport Corridor and Bridge project that they received a $16.4 million federal BUILD grant for at the end of 2018. This $35 million project that has Federal Grant, State Capital Outlay, GLPC, and Lafourche Parish Government financial components attached to it will set the Port down the path of having an industrial park on the same footprint of the airport in the coming years.
“In the next several years, you can rest assured that you will see many large-scale investments being made by our Port and other partners to not only move our parish forward, but to provide more in the way of mitigation to help protect our entire region, as well as establishing sites to enjoy recreational pursuits such as kayaking and fishing with our future Coastal Wetlands Park playing a central role in our plans,” shared Chaisson. “Our hope is to maintain current business, attract new business, and help to diversify our economy for our community’s long-term viability.”•
