West Calcasieu Port expands its footprint

The West Calcasieu Port (WCP) in Sulphur, La., yesterday announced the purchase of an additional 172 acres of waterfront property along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW).

Funding for the property acquisition was made possible by a $750,000 grant through the Louisiana Office of Facility Planning. Additional funding was drawn from the WCP’s reserves.

“This is an important acquisition for the port, its tenants and the expanding Southwest Louisiana industrial community,” said Dick Kennison, president of the WCP board of commissioners. “It increases our port footprint to nearly 400 acres.

“The two parcels of land are on the south side of the GIWW, and support the port efforts to meet a pair of critical needs – additional barge-fleeting accommodations and expansion of the port’s onsite dredge spoils reception capability,” he added.

Kennison also noted that the port board anticipates the acquisition will nearly double the port’s available barge fleeting space/

With major petrochemical, LNG, energy and other construction projects continuing throughout Southwest Louisiana, the expanded barge fleeting area will help the port’s ability to support increased barge traffic, improve operational efficiency and strengthen the region’s critical marine transportation infrastructure.

Port tenants include Southern Devall Towing, VLS Environmental Marine Services and Great Lakes Dredge and Dock They offer critical support to the growth of SWLA industrial foot print and include barge-fleeting operations, wet-barge cleaning/stripping/repair/inspection services, and diesel engine repair.

Located two miles west of the Calcasieu River Waterway, the WCP supports marine operations along 2.1 miles of GIWW waterfront.