Port of New Orleans stronger than ever

Just as it had prevailed over Hurricane Katrina, the Port of New Orleans seems to have won another epic environmental battle—the BP oil spill.

According to port authorities, the United States Coast Guard’s efforts during the agency’s oil-spill response resulted in undeterred commerce on the Mississippi River throughout the entire incident.

The New Orleans Board of Trade also noted that Mississippi River vessel arrivals totaled 1,697 during the 120-day period from April 20 until August 17, during which multiple agencies responded to the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The total is up 11.87 percent over the same period one year ago.

“The Port of New Orleans worked closely with the Coast Guard throughout the incident to ensure the Mississippi River remained open and commerce was uninterrupted,” said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “Ret. Adm. Thad Allen, Rear Adm. Mary Landry and Capt. Edwin Stanton made a strong commitment early on that the Port of New Orleans and other Gulf Coast ports would be a top priority in the response. Due to their tireless efforts, not a single cargo vessel or cruise ship was rerouted.”

Immediately following the April 20 incident, Coast Guard officials established vessel cleaning stations for both outbound and inbound ships near Southwest Pass. The stations inspected vessels for oil residue while in transit. Only three vessels required cleaning during the period.