Give us some general information about your company
The Port of New Orleans is a diverse deepwater port uniquely located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico. This naturally strategic location allows unparalleled access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Memphis, Chicago and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, six Class I railroads and interstate roadways. The acquisition of New Orleans Public Belt Railroad strengthens our position as an integrated hub and supports our vision for regional freight-based economic development.
With over 500 employees between the Port and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, Port NOLA’s mission is to drive economic prosperity throughout our tri-parish jurisdiction: Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard. As a landlord port, our role is to plan, build and maintain the infrastructure necessary to grow jobs and economic opportunity related to trade and commerce, serving as the catalyst for over 19,000 jobs within our three-parish jurisdiction.
Recent event/highlight/company accomplishment
Port NOLA’s four lines of business (cargo, cruise, rail and real estate) continue to grow. Our strengthened partnership with the New Orleans Public Belt allows us to drive intermodal growth, and combined with our diverse industrial real estate portfolio, Port NOLA is poised to continue to meet market demand. For the last three years, Port NOLA has seen double digit growth in container volumes, and remains the sixth largest cruise port in the country, welcoming new calls in 2020 such as Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas and Disney’s Wonder.
Why you are involved with RWD
In Louisiana, the maritime industry drives 1 in 5 jobs, and Port NOLA sees the value in investing in organizations such as RiverWorks Discovery, whose mission it is to educate the public on the maritime industry and all of the career opportunities within it.
Recent RWD Event or Sponsorship that you were involved with
In November, Port NOLA hosted a Who Works the River event, which engaged over 140 high school students in hands-on activities and discussions about maritime career pathways. We are proud to partner with RWD to host this event annually, and look forward to 2020!
A “Did You Know” fact or a tidbit on careers related to waterways industry:
Did You Know? The average salary of a Port of New Orleans tenant employee is $74,000 a year—41% higher than the local average.