Ports in Louisiana: New Orleans, South Louisiana, and Baton Rouge

CRS Report for Congress
Ports in Louisiana: New Orleans, South
Louisiana, and Baton Rouge
Vanessa Cieslak
Information Research Specialist
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
This report provides background information and import/export statistics on the
ports of New Orleans, South Louisiana, and Baton Rouge. These ports provide
important access to world markets and sources of exported and imported raw materials.
The three ports are usually discussed together because of their shared geography, ship
traffic, and cargo. When Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005, it stalled
the transportation supply lines for imports and exports in the area. Port Fourchon, which
is a multi-use port and services offshore oil and gas facilities and the Louisiana Offshore
Oil Port will not be covered in this report. For additional information on this topic, see
CRS Report RS22257, Hurricane Katrina: Shipping Disruptions, by John Frittelli; and
CRS Report RL33075, U.S. Agriculture After Hurricane Katrina: Status and Issues,
by Randy Schnepf and Ralph Chite. This report will be updated as needed.
Geography. The ports of New Orleans, South Louisiana, and Baton Rouge cover

172 miles on both banks of the Mississippi River (see Figure 1). The Mississippi River-

Gulf Outlet extends 67 miles from New Orleans to the Gulf, and the channel up the
Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge runs at a 48 foot draft. Overall, the
navigational depths range from 12 feet to 48 feet along the river, channels, and side
canals. The ports allow cargo to move to and from 33 states on the Mississippi River or
its tributaries. After Hurricane Katrina, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Office of Coast Survey used boats with sonar and scanners to assess
underwater damage to the ports. Port authorities used these surveys to make decisions
about when to open or close the ports.
Exports and Imports. These three ports are significant to the economy of the
nation. The ports of South Louisiana, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge rank third, fourth,
and fifteenth, respectively in total trade by port to all world ports (see Table 1). This
table also provides statistics on the total exports and imports by short tons at these ports.¹

About 6,000 vessels pass through the Port of New Orleans annually.
¹ Port of New Orleans website,
(continued...)
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

Table 1. Waterborne — Total Trade by Port to All World Ports
Weight (1,000 Short Tons) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^%^C^h^an^ge^%^C^h^an^ge
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴^2002-2003^2003-2004
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^1,252,782.8¹^,329,566.3¹^,440,526.8⁶^.1^8.4
³^S^ou^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^75,719.7^58,431.1^82,532.4^-^22.8^41.3
⁴^N^ew^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^73,480.5^80,605.6^72,213.9⁹^.7^-^10.4
¹⁵^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^27,308.5^27,822.2^30,282.5¹^.9^8.8
Waterborne – Exports – Total by Port to All Countries
Weight (1,000 Short Tons) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^{% Sha}^re^{% Cha}ⁿ^g^e
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴^2003-2004
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^354,147.1^357,983.37^385,394.5^100.0^100.0^100.0⁷^.7
¹^S^ou^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^47,240.4^36,897.32^50,172.2^13.3^10.3^13.0^36.0
³^N^ew^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^42,519.9^51,598.60^37,530.6^12.0^14.4⁹^.7^-^27.3
²³^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^4,876.8⁴^,380.01^4,482.1¹^.4^1.2¹^.2^2.3
Waterborne – Imports – Total by Port from All Countries
Weight (1,000 Short Tons) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^{% Sha}^re^{% Cha}ⁿ^g^e
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴^2003-2004
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^898,635.7^971,582.9¹^,055,132.36^100.0^100.00^100.0⁸^.60
⁸^N^ew^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^30,960.7^29,007.0^34,683.26^3.5²^.99³^.3^19.57
¹⁰^S^o^u^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^28,479.3^21,533.8^32,360.16^3.2²^.22³^.1^50.28
¹⁶^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^22,431.7^23,442.2^25,800.37^2.5²^.41²^.5^10.06
^Source:^{U.S. Mar}^itim^{e A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^str^a^tioⁿ^vⁱ^{a W}^o^r^l^d^T^r^ad^{e A}^{tlas. T}^a^b^l^{e p}^r^ep^ar^ed^b^y^Mik^e^Doⁿⁿ^e^lly^,
^C^R^S^/^K^S^G^,^S^e^pt^{. 2005.}
In terms of dollar value, total trade by port to all world ports, New Orleans, South
Louisiana, and Baton Rouge, rank 12^th, 16^th, and 27^th, respectively. Table 2 provides the
dollar value of exports and imports at these ports.

¹ (...continued)
[ ht t p: / / www.aapa-por t s .or g/ pr essr oom/ kat r i na_updat e s.ht m#Gul f % 20Por t % 20Fact s ] .

Table 2. Waterborne — Total Trade by Port to All World Ports
(U.S. $ millions) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^%^C^h^an^ge^%^C^h^an^ge
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴^2002-2003^2003-2004
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^$726,102.0^$807,111.9^$948,667.4^11.2^17.5
¹²^N^e^w^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^$17,683.3^$19,608.5^$22,171.3^10.9^13.1
¹⁶^S^o^u^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^$9,579.4^$8,587.4^$14,185.0^-^10.4^65.2
²⁷^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^$4,077.0^$4,604.6^$6,692.4^12.9^45.3
Waterborne – Exports – Total by Port to All Countries
(U.S. $ millions) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^%^%
^Sha^re^C^h^an^ge
^2003-
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰⁴
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^$187,615.1^$202,480.⁷^$229,921.1^100.0^100.0^100.0^13.6
⁸^N^ew^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^$9,193.6^$11,434.1^$9,579.4⁴^.9^5.7⁴^.2^-^16.2
¹¹^S^o^u^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^$6,045.2^$5,338.5^$7,644.1³^.2^2.6³^.3^43.2
²⁹^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^$3,154.5^$3,680.9^$5,418.8⁰^.6^0.6⁰^.8^47.2
Waterborne – Imports – Total by Port from All Countries
(U.S. $ millions) (Revised)
^{January - Decem}^ber
^%^%
^Sha^re^C^h^an^ge
^2003-
^Ra^nk^Po^rt²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰²²⁰⁰³²⁰⁰⁴²⁰⁰⁴
⁰^A^l^l^U^.^S^.^port^s^$538,486.9^$604,631.²^$718,746.3^100.0^100.0^100.0^18.9
¹⁴^N^e^w^O^r^l^ean^s^,^L^A^$8,489.7^$8,174.3^$12,591.9¹^.6^1.4¹^.8^54.0
²⁴^S^o^u^t^h^L^o^uⁱ^sⁱ^an^a^$3,534.1^$3,248.9^$6,540.9⁰^.7^0.5⁰^.9^101.3
²⁹^Bat^oⁿ^R^o^u^g^e^{, L}^A^$3,154.5^$3,680.9^$5,418.8⁰^.6^0.6⁰^.8^47.2
^Source:^{U.S. Mar}^itim^{e A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^str^a^tioⁿ^vⁱ^{a W}^o^r^l^d^T^r^ad^{e A}^{tlas. T}^a^b^l^{e p}^r^ep^ar^ed^b^y^Mik^e^Doⁿⁿ^e^lly^,
^C^R^S^/^K^S^G^,^S^e^pt^{. 2005.}
According to the North American Export Grain Association, as of August 2005,
these three ports serve as a gateway for nearly 55 to 70 percent of all U.S. exported corn,
soy, and wheat.² Barges carry these grains from the Mississippi River to the ports for
storage and export. Imports to these ports include steel, rubber, coffee, fruits, and
vegetables. Table 3 provides lists of export and import commodities by port.

² North American Export Grain Association, Statement on Hurricane Katrina Assessment, Sept.

6, 2005.

[http://www.naega.org/images/NGFA_NAEGA_Statement_on_Hurric a ne _K atrina_9-06-05.pdf]
visited Sept. 12, 2005.

Table 3. Louisiana Ports — Imports and Export Commodities
P ort Imports Exports
New OrleansPetroleum products, iron,Cereal grain, soybeans, petroleum,
steel, metal ores, non-metallicanimal feeds, organic chemicals,
minerals, coffee, inorganicpaper and linear board, vegetable fats
chemicals, forest products,and oils, iron, steel, metal ores and
vegetable fats and oils, naturalscraps, inorganic chemicals
rubber, fertilizers, organic
chemicals
South LouisianaCrude oil, chemical/fertilizers,Maize, soybeans, wheat, animal feed
steel products, petrochemicals
Baton RougeMolasses, petroleum, steelForestry products, petroleum
coils, ores, chemicalsproducts, grain, coke, pipe, bagged
grains, fertilizer
^Source:^Lo^uⁱ^sⁱ^aⁿ^a^E^c^oⁿ^o^mⁱ^c^D^e^v^e^l^o^p^m^eⁿ^t^O^f^fⁱ^c^e^,^[^h^t^t^p^:^/^/^www.^l^e^d^.^s^t^a^t^e^.^l^a^.^u^s^/^o^v^e^r^vⁱ^e^w^/^p^o^r^t^p^r^o^fi^l^e^s^.^a^s^p^x^]^.
Figure 1. Map of Selected Louisiana Ports

Port Status. Operations are slowly returning to normal at the ports of New
Orleans, South Louisiana, and Baton Rouge, but it will take considerable time before they
are fully functioning. Gary LaGrange, port director for the Port of New Orleans, reported
“the port would be at 30% to 40% capacity within a month, 70% to 80% within three
months, and at 100% in four to six months, much faster than earlier estimates.”³ The Port
of South Louisiana reported only minor damage and the port at Baton Rouge reported no
³ “New Orleans’ Port, Airport Begin Reopening Process,” TTnews.com, Sept. 12, 2005,
[http://www.ttnews.com/members/topNews/0013807.html] visited Sept. 12, 2005.

damage according to the American Association of Port Authorities.⁴ At present, the ports’
headquarters and some terminals are being used for military and law enforcement staging
areas as part of the rescue and recovery efforts. The New Orleans port is taking in some
cargo as of September 12, 2005. The ports are operating under a number of limitations.
Generators are providing most of the electricity for operations and vessels still face
daylight-only navigation restrictions because of a lack of functioning aids to navigation
(such as signal buoys). A major impediment to reopening is the lack of workers, many
of whom fled during the storm and flooding. Exact statistics on the number of employees
at these three ports are not readily available. However, according to a study conducted
by Dr. Timothy P. Ryan, University of New Orleans, in August 2002, “The industry
supports the employment of 269,259 people in the state. Note that not all these jobs are
fully dependent on the maritime industry but do rely in whole or in part on the economic
activity created by the industry.”⁵
Some goods are being moved to other ports in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and
Virginia. The ports in Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa will probably see
cargo once destined for the ports along the Gulf shipped to their docks. Using alternative
ports depends on the port’s capacity, storage and distribution functions, and costs. ⁶
Cruise Vessels. In 2004, 181 vessels docked at the Port of New Orleans with⁷
734,643 cruise passengers. Following the hurricane, Carnival Cruises and Norwegian
Cruise Line repositioned their ships to Galveston and Houston. Three Carnival Cruise
Line ships have been chartered by the Military Sealift Command on behalf of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency for six months as part of Hurricane Katrina relief⁸
efforts. According to Gary LaGrange, the port will use four maritime administrative
vessels for 1,000 of its employees for the next six months.⁹
Legislation and Funding. At present, there has been no specific legislation
introduced or passed regarding these three ports during the 109^th Congress. Since the

⁴ The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) provides status updates at their website
for all the ports in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
[http://www.aapa-ports.org/pressroom/katrina_updates.htm#Port%20Updates] visited Sept. 19,

2005.

⁵ Dr. Timothy P. Ryan, Louisiana Ports Gas Tax Impact, Executive Summary, University of New
Orleans, August 2002. [http://www.portsoflouisiana.org/StatesPortsGas.pdf] visited Sept. 16,

2005.

⁶ “Smaller Ports Pick Up Gulf Slack,” RedNova News, Sept. 13, 2005, at
[http: / / www.r e dnova.com/ news/ t echnol ogy/ 238784/smaller_ports_pick_up_gulf_slack__dam
age_by_katrina/].
⁷ U.S. Port Cruise Traffic, American Association of Port Authorities. [http://www.aapa-
ports.org/pressroom/katrina_updates.htm#statistics] visited Sept. 11, 2005.
⁸ U.S. Department of Defense, Armed Forces Information Services, “Sealift Command Charters
Cruise Ships to House Evacuees,” press release, Sept. 7, 2005.
[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2005/20050907_2638.html] visited Sept. 12, 2005.
⁹ Ned Randolf, “Construction Crews, Others Prepare N.O. to do Business,” theAdvocate.com,
Sept. 14, 2005. [http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/091405/bus_dobusiness001.shtml] visited
Sept. 14, 2005.

ports are operated by public port authorities and equipment and terminals are owned by
private companies, their major funding sources come from operating income, retained
earnings, and revenue bond proceeds.¹⁰ However, federal grant money has been awarded
since the 9/11 attacks for port security programs.¹¹ On September 13, 2005, the
Department of Homeland Security announced more than $140 million in new grants under
its port security program. The Port of New Orleans will receive a $2 million grant; the
South Louisiana Port $1.1 million; and the port at Baton Rouge $162,030.00.¹²
Port Authority Contacts:
Port of New OrleansPort of Baton RougePort of South Louisiana
1350 Port of New Orleans2425 Ernest Wilson Dr. P.O. Box 909
PlaceP.O.Box 380LaPlace, LA 70609-0909
New Orleans, LA 70130Port Allen, LA 70767Office:888-SLA-PORT
Office: 504-533-2551Office: 225-342-1660Fax: 985-562-9518
Fax: 504-524-4156Fax: 225-342-1666New Orleans line:
[http://www.portno.com] [http://www.portgbr.com] 504-568-6269
[http://www.portsl.com]

¹⁰ “Financing Port Infrastructure,” Nov. 20, 2003, AAPA.
[http://www.aapa-ports.org/govrelations/godwin11-20-03.htm] visited Sept. 11, 2005.
¹¹ For a discussion on port security and funding issues, see CRS Report RL31733, Port and
Maritime Security: Background and Issues for Congress, by John Frittelli.
¹² U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “DHS Announces Over $141 Million in Grants to
Secure America’s Ports,” press release, Sept. 13, 2005,
[http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4804] visited Sept. 14, 2005.