Greater Lafourche Port Commission, Port Fourchon turns 65 this year

Unquestionably the biggest success story in the history of Lafourche Parish can be found in Port Fourchon.

So, how did Port Fourchon transform from a speck of land in southern Lafourche to hosting a valued tenant base that services nearly 100% of all deepwater offshore energy activity in the U.S. Gulf of America?

Through grit and determination by Louisiana State Senator A.O. Rappelet and a multitude of dedicated commissioners, that’s how.

In 1960, Rappelet helped pass legislation to create the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC), which in turn established the area now known as modern-day Port Fourchon.

Gov. Jimmy Davis Signing Act 222
Photo credit: GLPC

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Rappelet, unlike many of his counterparts, saw the potential in putting a port at the mouth of Bayou Lafourche to lure the banana trade from New Orleans to Lafourche Parish.

At first, the plan was simple: bring the banana trade to South Lafourche and let everything else build up around it.

While Rappelet missed the boat on bananas, both literally and figuratively, his insights regarding Fourchon’s location helped the infant port become a “Port of the Future.” Rappelet did this specifically by building infrastructure and clearing channels to support a burgeoning oil and gas industry.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS KEY

Although Rappelet played the most prominent role in establishing GLPC, future development of any port costs money.

Residents of Lafourche’s 10th Ward voted to approve a property tax in 1961 to fund development at Port Fourchon, as has become customary from a self-reliant culture—the very same which taxed themselves to build the highly-durable protective levees seen today in south Lafourche.

These tax dollars paved the way for the donation of property along Bayou Lafourche in Fourchon to the commission in 1963. The Caillouet Family, Louisiana Land & Exploration (now ConocoPhilips), the Constantine family, and the Wisner Land Trust partnered with GLPC over the years to help make up the footprint of land that it currently owns or manages.

By 1965, the clamshell Fourchon Road was constructed and readied for traffic.

DREDGING CHANNELS, ELECTED BODY, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SPUR GROWTH

Making Belle Pass have 12 feet of depth and electing what is still the state’s only elected port commission in 1971 started the port down the path of becoming a legitimate economic asset to Lafourche Parish.

During a span of eight years stretching from 1971 to 1979, capital improvement projects began thanks to bond proceeds.

With this, a crucial environmental impact study was funded, and GLPC’s first Executive Director was hired.

While all of these were positive developments, building up infrastructure and making an area attractive to businesses Residents of Lafourche’s 10th Ward voted to approve a property tax in 1961 to fund development at Port Fourchon, as has become customary from a self-reliant culture—the very same which taxed themselves to build the highly-durable protective levees seen today in south Lafourche.

You still need someone to take that first leap of faith.

Enter the port’s first major tenant, Martin Fuel, in 1979.

Next up, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) begins its operations in 1981, two years before the oil bust of 1983.

Now many would think the oil bust would have destroyed any chances Port Fourchon had at becoming anything significant, but they’d be wrong.

Thanks to the oil bust and the industry’s need to consolidate, the centralized location of Port Fourchon, dipping into the gulf as the southernmost city accessible by road in south Louisiana, was the thing that gave the port its ultimate footing.

After developing the 400-acre E-Slip in 1984, businesses, primarily Edison Chouest Offshore, flocked to the port to become tenants.

Transportation grants and investments, made as a result of tax dollars tagged to Port Fourchon, saw the port grow as lease revenues started to climb into the millions of dollars.

DEEPWATER ROYALTY RELIEF ACT CHANGES EVERYTHING

Passed in 1995, this singular piece of legislation established the necessary incentives for the drilling industry to go all in on exploratory activities in the Gulf of America.

By 1998, the E-Slip project was completely leased 15 years ahead of schedule.

This exceptional growth led to further construction and the purchase of the South Lafourche Airport by the commission in 2001.

Total budgets continued to climb during this same time period and revenues eclipsed the $10 million mark by 2004, with nearly 250 companies operating from and/or utilizing Port Fourchon by 2005.

All these developments led to the construction of a new elevated highway that opened in 2009, one year before the port’s second Executive Director, Chett Chiasson, was hired.

DISRUPTION COMES IN THE FORM OF DISASTER ON TWO FRONTS

Between the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill incident of 2010 and the price of oil and gas bottoming out in 2014, GLPC saw some dark days.

As a service provider to deepwater offshore energy interests in the Gulf of America, the temporary drilling ban that resulted from the oil spill incident, and then the resulting drop in O&G prices four years later, a negative tenor regarding future prosperity at the port was certainly a concern.

However, thanks to steadfast guidance and lowering rental rates for existing tenants to entice them to stay the course, Chiasson and the GLPC Board of Commissioners were able to steer Port Fourchon in a direction where growth continued despite the odds seemingly being stacked against them.

Photo credit: GLPC

STRONGER NOW THAN EVER; POISED FOR THE FUTURE

With more than 83,000 linear feet of bulkhead now encompassing the footprint of Port Fourchon and lease revenues in the millions of dollars, it’s easy to see why GLPC has the reputation of being the main economic engine for Lafourche Parish.

As the port forges forward into its 65th year, the diligent efforts of GLPC’s commissioners and staff seek to keep contributing to the economic needs of Lafourche Parish through forward-thinking measures set on creating more jobs and prosperity for the bayou region.

Currently, GLPC is positioned well to capitalize on numerous opportunities moving forward.

For starters, work continues to progress towards procuring the necessary approvals to eventually dredge to 50 feet in Belle Pass. That water depth will allow for the future development of Fourchon Island, which will one day become the home to a deepwater rig, repair, and refurbishment facility which will certainly spur on further investments in our port and parish.

Of further importance, a future LNG project continues to inch closer to becoming a reality. This project has the potential to be an investment in the billions of dollars.

Additionally, work continues on the Airport Bridge and Connector Road Project. Also being planned is the eventual construction of a new bridge in Port Fourchon to replace the one that was removed in 2018.

When combined with the ongoing construction of Phase 2 of the LA 1 Elevated Highway, the public and private investments mentioned above amount to roughly multiple billions coming into the 10th Ward of Lafourche Parish in the coming years.

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME IN CELEBRATORY FASHION

The GLPC is excited to commence its year of celebration with a series of events geared towards our tenants and users, both at our airport and Port Fourchon.

Without our exceptional tenants and users, the airport and Port Fourchon would fail to achieve all it has in these last 65 years.

While these first two celebrations focus on our tenants and users, the grand finale will happen on Saturday, May 17th at the GLPC Administrative Office in Cut Off.

This free event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature food, music, Fourchon goodies and a first-come, first-served opportunity to board buses for port tours throughout the duration of the celebration.