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InterMoor celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility in Morgan City on March 24 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception that included tours of the facility. More than 300 people attended the ceremony for the international maritime company. The company already has begun several large fabrication projects at the new facility. Keeping the company, which had considered relocating back to its headquarters in Houston because it had outgrown its Amelia facility, means the company will be able to retain more than 200 jobs and facilitate future growth. LEDA estimates the facility will generate more than $49 million in new state tax revenues and more than $35 million in local tax revenues during a 15-year period. The 24-acre facility houses administrative, maintenance operations and fabrication employees. Amenities include more than 30,000 square feet of fabrication space, mooring storage capabilities, a 12,000 square-foot multi-purpose building for administrative and operations employees and a state-of-the-art 20,000 square-foot blasting and painting facility.  Equipment includes a 300-ton crane to enhance docking services. At left, InterMoor officials participate in the company’s ceremonial ribbon cutting, while at right, Inter- Moor Vice President of Finance Scott Thomas (left) presents Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District Commission President Raymond “Mac” Wade, center, and Port Executive Director Jerry Hoffpauir with a plaque recognizing the ribbon cutting. The Port of Morgan City purchased the land InterMoor was constructed on from the H&B Young Foundation and rents the property to the maritime company. 

Published in Daily Review 04/13/11



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A new tide station at the Martin Mainstream Fuel Services in Berwick officially is operational.  Tim Osborn of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration presented Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District Executive Director Jerry Hoffpauir a ceremonial key to the facility along with a framed letter of congratulations on the facility’s opening during Monday’s meeting. Information from the station can be found online at http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/geo.shtml?location=8764044. From left are Osborn, Hoffpauir, and Capt. Jonathan Burton, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Unit, Morgan City, and captain of the port.  Click here for more photos.

Published in the Daily Review February 15, 2011

factcardThe Port of Morgan City will be ranked 98th for 2009 among U.S. ports in total tonnage handled.  Port Manager of Economic Development Cindy Cutrera made the announcement during Monday’s Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District monthly meeting that the local port would be included on the 2009 Waterborne Commerce Statistics Fact Card During 2009, the port handles 2.1 million tons, all domestic.  Cutrera and commission President Raymond “Mac” Wade met with Navigation Data Center officials at the Corps New Orleans office on Thursday, and verified in person and writing that they would be listed on the 2009 Waterborne Commerce Statistics Fact Card as a Top 100 port. 

The local port made the list because the additional information they provided on the Lower Atchafalaya River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was accepted.  Cutrera led the effort in gathering that information from local clients.  Other Louisiana ports included in the list include the Port of South Louisiana (LaPlace, 212.6 million tons, foreign and domestic), which was ranked first, while five other ports — New Orleans (sixth, 68.1 million tons), Lake Charles (11th, 52.3 million), Baton Rouge (13th, 51.9 million) and Plaquemines (14th, 50.9 million) — all ranked in the top 15.  The nearby Port of Houston was second with 211.3 million tons, domestic and foreign. 

Cutrera said she expects Morgan City port’s ranking to climb as it works more with the Corps and its stakeholders to report tonnage handled through local waterways.  “We know there is more tonnage activity that is not being reported because of the nature of offshore oil and gas operations, and we still have a lot to work through,” Cutrera said. “However, as we move forward, we will continue to meet with the (Navigation Data Center) to discuss ways to improve the process.” 

With its No. 98 ranking, the port bested Greenville, Miss., and Green Bay, Wis., ports in tonnage handled.  “We all agreed th-t No. 98 is a start … and that now we need to move up on the list in 2010 in order to make sure we remain in the Top 100,” Cutrera said.  Cutrera expressed her thanks to all companies that have supplied tonnage information to the port and answered her questions.  “I was able to fill in enough of the missing pieces to satisfy the NDC that my information was credible without any compromise of client confidentiality by any of the parties involved,” she said.  Wade complimented Cutrera on her work in gathering the port’s tonnage figures in recent years.   “She never gave up,” Wade said. “Of course she couldn’t give up because I wouldn’t let her give up.”  While he was glad the port would be ranked, Wade said he did not get his hopes up because the port had been told before, as was the case in 2009, that its tonnage numbers were not worthy of the Top 100 ranking.  The reasons have ranged from an unacceptable method of totaling tonnage to the Corps’ having the wrong maps of the Port of Morgan City’s boundaries.  “It was a long, hard process, but this is really the beginning for this area,” he said.  Wade called the accepted information the “low hanging fruit.” 

While tonnage traditionally has been a key in dredging monies, Wade said he heard from a Corps headquarter official that this year, more than ever, tonnage figures will be vital to funding.  During his report, port consultant Martin Cancienne of Washington, D.C.-based The Livingston Group, told commissioners that funding will be vital because House Republicans are pushing to remove $100 billion in spending.  “I can’t sit here and not tell you that’s going to affect the Corps of Engineers,” he said.  “At the end of the day, that’s going to affect, in all probability, the things that are near and dear to the port. Our job is just going to be that much more difficult to try to maintain the necessary funding that’s going to be required to keep this thing in the position that it needs to be,” Cancienne said of the port’s ranking.  However, he said the Office of Management and Budget sends funding recommendations to the White House, meaning it is important that the Port of Morgan City is listed among the top 100.  “That recommendation weighs heavily in the decision in the budget process,” Cancienne said. “When the budget process includes a good number for Morgan City, at least you’re starting out in a good position.” 

On a similar note, the port will be featured in PortVision’s quarterly newsletter documenting its success.  The port had purchased equipment from PortVision to help it determine its tonnage figures.  Now, Cutrera is turning her focus toward the 2010 reporting process, which she hopes to have submitted before the NDC submits it budget comments in March.  “So, I will once again be calling on all of our stakeholders for assistance in completing this information,” she said, asking again for their cooperation in the port’s efforts.

Published in the Daily Review November 9, 2010
 

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JOHN "AL"MISTROT, a construction representative with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District, who will be retiring in December after about 37 years of service, was honored for his work in the local community during the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District’s September meeting.  Mistrot, who has overseen dredge operations in the area for 76 dredgings of Berwick Bay since 1973, was honored by Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte with a key to the city and a framed certificate naming him an honorary citizen. Berwick Mayor Louis Ratcliff also presented Mistrot with a key to the Town of Berwick and a framed certificate.

Published in Daily Review October 19, 2010

 

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The Morgan City Harbor and Terminal district welcomed Joey Foret of Amelia as its newest commissioner during their October meeting.  Foret, appointed by the St. Mary Council in September, will replace former commissioner Bill New.

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Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District President Raymond "Mac" Wade presents former commissioner William "Bill" New with a plaque recognizing his service on the commission at the District's October meeting.  New resigned in late July, citing potential conflicts of interest with his business, New Industries in Morgan City.  He served as a commissioner for more than three years.

Published in the Daily Review October 19, 2010

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New resigns from Port commission, cites potential conflicts



The vice president of the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District resigned from the local port commission Tuesday, citing potential conflicts of interest due to his business affiliations.  Bill New submitted his resignation letter Tuesday morning.  The resignation was effectively immediately.  “As the Port moves deeper into economic development, efforts that I whole-heartedly agree with and support, it is inevitable that conflicts will arise with current and future customers of the Port and New Industries,” New said in a letter to fellow commissioners.  “I feel that it is better to proactively address this before it becomes an issue, and prevent even the appearance of conflict that might taint or detract from the reputation and good works of the port, the commission or individual commissioners.”  Because he is both a business owner and a commissioner, state law bars New from conducting business with a port client or tenant.  With the current challenges facing the south Louisiana economy, “I can’t be walling off customers,” said New, who has been a commissioner for more than four years.  New already is losing one tenant. Delta Steel has announced that it will be vacating the facility next door to New Industries on Railroad Avenue in Morgan City this month.  New leases the plant to Delta Steel. The business is leaving as a result of both the economic recession and impact of the BP oil spill.  While he said he wanted to see through issues the local port is facing — especially the redesignation of Crewboat Cut as the authorized channel to the Gulf of Mexico and finding a solution to the Atchafalaya River Bar Channel’s fluff problem — he said he didn’t want to risk a conflict of interest and harm his business’ or the port’s reputation by staying on the commission.  “I told everybody anything I can do to help, I would be happy to help,” New said. “I just can’t do that as a member of the commission any more.”  Port Executive Director Jerry Hoffpauir said he does not foresee a similar problem with any other commissioners, because no other commissioners own companies.  The local port’s executive director said the vacated seat could be filled as early as September’s meeting, but certainly by October’s meeting.  The St. Mary Parish Council will be responsible for filling the seat with someone from the Port of Morgan City’s district.

Published in Daily Review July 29, 2010

Affiliations

National Waterways Conference Gulf Ports Assoc of the Americas Louisiana Industrial Develpment Esecutives Assoc Ports Association of Louisiana Gulf Intracostal Canal Association Inland Rivers Ports and Terminals US Coast Guard Houma

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