Just a short comment on something I talk about often, but that our leaders simply don’t seem to fully understand.

We commonly hear about how large and how busy Louisiana’s ports are, and what an asset they are to our economy.

That’s true… as far as it goes. But it isn’t the whole truth, which is unfortunately a big problem for us.

Here’s a graph…

Louisiana’s ports are huge, but we don’t really take full advantage of their potential. In effect our ports have grown not because of strategic efforts, but simply because of our location. Though the advantage we have in waterborne transportation has resulted in many high capital primary manufacturing investments, as a measure of prosperity for all they pale when compared to more conventional manufacturing and corporate business that create far more jobs.

Since I was Chairman of the Port of New Orleans I have expressed amazement that we fail to recognize our own potential. Though a great asset, much of the business of the ports is pass through. That is though we handle tremendous amounts of cargo, it generally goes elsewhere for consumption or for further processing. Our state’s full potential will only be achieved if we create an integrated strategy based on using our transportation advantage to concentrate on international commerce growth potentials. The four pillars of such a strategy are,

• Use cargoes and products of primary manufacturing as catalysts for high employment, final product manufacturing
• Rebuild New Orleans as the most desirable location for international commerce businesses and white-collar jobs
• Develop strong warehousing and distribution sectors
• Strategically build facilities and transportation links for traditional port activities

As we celebrate the success of our ports, we must overcome parochialism as the state realizes the growth potential of the integrated international commerce hub that we once were.