The U.S. needs a vibrant Port Fourchon

A message from the executive director

President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Jan. 30 hit home with those of us who see Port Fourchon as an essential component of the nation’s long-term energy security. In the days preceding the address, representatives of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) were in Washington, D.C. There, we outlined to our congressional delegation and administrative staff the ambitious, future expansion plans for Port Fourchon, and the vital role that it plays in the U.S. energy industry’s pathway to American energy dominance. 

Our long-range plans to ensure that Port Fourchon sustains its position as a critical national asset fit perfectly with the President's infrastructure vision laid out in his speech. Despite current conditions in the Gulf of Mexico, Port Fourchon remains one of the busiest ports in the nation, servicing over 90% of all deepwater energy exploration and production. As the conduit for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), Port Fourchon also is the gateway to nearly 20% of the nation’s oil supply. More recently, LOOP began laying the groundwork for what could develop into a key export facility, as well.

Owing to our systematic growth on the edge of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Port Fourchon has evolved over more than 58 years into the largest, most concentrated energy services hub in the Western Hemisphere. We have grown from a small dock facility on the bank of Bayou Lafourche to a sprawling industrial services center with over 70,000 linear feet of waterside dock space, situated on nearly 2,000 acres of developed land. Our tenant community represents some of the industry's most recognized and respected brands, providing the most efficient suite of services in the world. 

However, this success has not bred complacency. We have been working steadily to plan our future development, to further broaden the wide range of services that Port Fourchon already is ideally suited to provide to the industry. To that end, we have crafted a holistically resilient vision of our future—one that requires large-scale investment in infrastructure, while also helping restore our coastal wetlands. 

Specifically, our wide-ranging vision for next-generation port facilities includes the desperately needed completion of the elevated LA-1 highway. This will replace the low-lying and frequently flooded roadway that has long provided the only access into Port Fourchon. We also are taking the necessary permitting steps to deepen channel drafts throughout the port, to accommodate deeper-draft vessels, now and in the future. In addition, we have plans in place to construct the Gulf Coast's newest rig repair and refurbishment facility, which would add desperately needed capacity and bring with it nearly 1,300 well-paying jobs back to the American economy. Importantly, much of the dredged materials from our channel deepening initiative will be used to help restore our rapidly eroding coast. 

Consequently, we were tremendously encouraged by the President's address, as it is very clear that the future development plans for Port Fourchon meet every goal of the Administration’s infrastructure vision. While our stable fiscal condition means we do not have to rely on government alone, Port Fourchon is superbly positioned to attract a large-scale investment under the president's infrastructure program.

Quite simply, the nation needs a vibrant Port Fourchon.