By Stephen Hemelt
L’Observateur

VACHERIE — Paul Aucoin called it his “bragging rights” speech, and the executive director of the Port of South Louisiana took the opportunity this week to tout the many positives in play at the River Parishes’ port.

As the keynote speaker at Wednesday’s River Region Chamber of Commerce General Membership meeting, Aucoin spoke about the sense of pride Chamber members and the greater community should feel when thinking about the port.

He quickly rattled off a list of rankings, listing the region’s port as the nation’s No. 1 ranked port for tonnage, grain exportation and energy transfer.

Aucoin, speaking in front of a crowd at Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, also said the port was ranked as the No. 2 foreign trade zone in the United States.

Aucoin said the port’s seven grain elevators produce 50 percent of the nation’s grain exports.

Announced future projects equate to a planned $8.05 billion capital investment and 813 direct jobs, according to Aucoin.

The port boasts 13 petrochemical, chemical and fertilizer facilities, four oil refineries and seven grain elevators, which have access to more than 26 million people through the port’s inland river system.

Following his presentation, Aucoin was asked about the port’s response to the recent Ebola scare.

Thomas Eric Duncan, who arrived in Dallas from Liberia Sept. 20, became the first case of the deadly virus diagnosed on American soil. He died Wednesday.

Aucoin said port leaders met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials this week in an ongoing effort to ensure the safety of port personnel and the community in relation to the threat.

Aucoin said port personnel can’t stop ships, and leaves those operations to Customs officials. He said everyone at the port is on “full alert.”