- Mississippi River Ports Sign Historic Cooperative Agreement.
- Ports along Marine Highways 35 and 55 to Benefit from New CEA.
- CEA Marks Key Milestone in Cooperation Among Mississippi River Ports.
The Mississippi River’s major agricultural and industrial commerce corridors are taking an unprecedented step to boost productivity and competitiveness. Upper and Lower Mississippi River ports have signed the first-ever Cooperative Endeavor Agreement as part of the National Waterways Conference Annual Meeting. This partnership aims to catalyse significant improvements in collaborative business development, infrastructure investment, and federal support for port operations on America’s Marine Highways 35 and 55, reports AJOT.
Signatories of the agreement
- Plaquemines Port, Harbor and Terminal District,
- Port of Greater Baton Rouge,
- Port of New Orleans,
- Port of South Louisiana,
- St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District.
Opening Global Markets for U.S. Agriculture
Through collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the ports will address head-on key bottlenecks in the supply chain and improve the flow of agricultural exports out of the Midwest into international markets through Louisiana’s coastal ports.
Plans for this effort also include an annual event in New Orleans dedicated to furthering agricultural business development.
Advancing Infrastructure Investment
The consent focuses on the necessity of investments in port and waterways infrastructure by the federal government, such as the renewal of the navigation channel and setting priorities for funding dredging projects for these vital transportation routes.
Coordinated Government Relations
The governments of the ports will implement one unified approach pertaining to their natural infrastructure, construction, and maintenance in all their government relations.
This combined effort is aimed at maximally leveraging their combined influence, which would otherwise have been insufficient if only fragmented individual efforts had occurred.
Endorsing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reforms
Knowing the significant role that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays in managing inland waterways, the ports will be actively canvassing reform that maintains a focus for improvement on making the process of infrastructure development in water resources more efficient and effective.
Empowering Marine Highway Programs
The CEA will strengthen their efforts to develop and enhance federal programs that benefit ports on Marine Highways 35 and 55, so these vital trade routes stay strong and competitive.
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Source: AJOT
