By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – It was back in the 1950s when the Louisiana Legislature first established the Port of South Louisiana, which covers river operations for a 54 mile stretch along the Mississippi River.

From the beginning the port was considered a &#8220landlord port,” and didn’t provide the economic engine for River Region growth until 15 years ago when the Globalplex Intermodal Terminal began operation.

Since then, the Port of South Louisiana has become the biggest player to help bring economic development to the River Region, with seemingly bigger and better things on the horizon.

This week there will be a small celebration highlighting 15 years of the Port of South Louisiana Globalplex operation, which now sits on a 330 acre piece of land that includes an industrial park, two docks, cement domes and much more to facilitate the needs of business and industry in the area.

&#8220We’re the economic engine of the area,” Executive Director Joel Chaisson said. &#8220We encourage foreign and domestic trade and have one of the best areas to offer industry when it comes to transporting their goods. We have rails, water, close interstates and perhaps even air cargo beginning soon. People don’t realize the magnitude of what the port has done for this area.”

Chaisson said that the dollar value of the port is not even realized by most people.

&#8220We were the largest tonnage port in America last year, so that tells you a lot about how much we are doing,” he said. &#8220And we ship more than 50 percent of the grain to the world.”

And now on the horizon is a project that Chaisson said would undoubtedly be the biggest thing for the River Region ever. Thyssen-Krup, a steel mill company from Germany, is considering St. James Parish as one of its two final sites for a multi-billion dollar facility.

The port is offering 170 acres of the 330 acres they presently own, hoping to get the mega industry to select this area. A decision could come as soon as Friday about the steel mill.

&#8220If the decision is down to who has the best facility for such a thing, then we will win,” Chaisson said. &#8220But if it’s a matter of politics, then who knows.”

Chaisson said the &#8220TK” deal as he calls it would affect so much in the region, that most people don’t even comprehend how big it is.

&#8220You will see a lot change if TK comes here. We will get money faster for new roads, you will see a lot of big businesses come in, and many support services will get a lot of business from them,” he said. &#8220And that might be one thing to stimulate growth to finally start on the West Bank.”

A state entity, the South Louisiana Port Commission was organized in 1961 but did not become an operating port until 20 years ago when it built its first river front dock. The Port was initially established to serve as a point of shipment for local industry and today is landlord to eight facilities leased to operating companies such as Occidental and Archer Daniels Midland.

However, the greatest expansion for the Port has been in the last 15 years with the ongoing development of its Globalplex Intermodel Terminal located on the site of a former sugar refinery purchased in 1992. The 335-acre complex of dry bulks and break bulk terminals, warehouses, and cement dome storage facilities offers world-class facilities and services including:

Over 200,000 sq. ft. of cargo storage including the recent completion of a 72,000 sq. ft. transit shed to handle rail and truck shipments simultaneously.

*Dock-to-terminal access via 204 x 660 general cargo dock;

*570 x 44 bulk handling dock equipped with a Carlsen screw-type unloader;

*Two Manitowoc 2250 rail-mounted gantry cranes;

*Two 50,000 ton cement storage domes;

*Trucking supported by a 100,000 lbs. weighing scale;

*8,000 feet of rail served by Canadian National and Kansas City Southern;

*Interstates-10, 12 and 55 just 7 miles from the site; and

*Stevedoring services provided primarily by Associated Terminals at the General Cargo Dock and Kinder Morgan at the Bulk Cargo Dock.