Port Fourchon

What Port Fourchon does

Port Fourchon is a deepwater port and general aviation airport complex located at the mouth of Bayou Lafourche in Cut Off/Galliano, Louisiana, operated by the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC), a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana established in 1960. GLPC runs Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport (GAO) under a landlord-port model in which it develops and maintains basic land, channels (27-foot entrance channel, 24-foot Bayou Lafourche channel), and shared infrastructure across more than 1,300 developed acres and 83,000+ linear feet of waterfront, then leases parcels to private companies that build and operate their own facilities. The complex serves as the primary land base for offshore energy operations in the Gulf of America, servicing over 95% of deepwater Gulf energy production and supporting 250+ tenant companies, 400+ daily supply vessel movements, 1,200 daily trucks, and approximately 15,000 offshore passengers per month flown through GAO.

Revenue mechanics center on multi-year RFP-based property leases (base rent plus improvement-based additional rent), supplemented by mooring dolphin rentals ($75/day), a $0.05/gallon aviation fuel user fee, telecommunications tower space leasing, airport T-hangar rentals ($318.27/month), and ancillary services including Harbor Police, depth readings, and weather/storm monitoring. Major tenants and partners include LOOP (handling 10-15% of U.S. domestic and foreign oil, connected to 50% of U.S. refining capacity), Chevron (using GAO as its Gulf-wide airbase since 2014), Argent LNG (developing up to 25 MTPA LNG export on ~900 acres), Gulf Wind Technology (Louisiana's first wind turbine), and Edison Chouest-affiliated C-Logistics. Infrastructure includes closed-circuit video surveillance, hurricane tracking systems, NOAA tide integrations, and the world's first port-wide real-time emissions monitoring system using SailPlan technology (2022).

The organization is governed by a nine-member elected Board of Commissioners (the only elected port commission in Louisiana) and led by Executive Director Chett Chiasson (since 2010, second director in port history). Recent strategic moves include the 850+ acre Caillouet Land acquisition (2023), the Argent LNG lease escalation (2024-2025), the Gulf Wind Technology renewable diversification (2024), and major FAA-funded airport improvements. Source-of-funding context: GLPC is funded through lease revenue, a portion of property taxes, federal grants (e.g., $135M INFRA), and aviation fuel user fees — no private capital is raised.

Name

Port Fourchon

Legal name

Greater Lafourche Port Commission

Website

https://portfourchon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Port Fourchon, operated by the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, is a Louisiana government-owned deepwater port and general aviation airport that serves as the primary land base for offshore oil and gas operations in the Gulf of America, supporting 250+ tenant companies and over 95% of deepwater Gulf energy production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Operations & Maritime Logistics

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)

akta.pro primary industry

Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters) (EUALABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore/Remote Port Call & Anchorage Services (Launch Boats, Crew Boats, Supply Runs) (TLAHAJAM), Offshore Support & Marine Logistics Vessel Operators (PSV/AHTS) (TLADABAL)

Keywords

• Deepwater port operations
• Offshore energy logistics
• Maritime property leasing
• Port infrastructure services
• General aviation airport

Headquarters

HQ city

Cut Off

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Lease Rentals: Primary revenue source from leasing waterfront and non-waterfront property to private companies. Leases subject to base rent plus activity-based additional rent. Annual lease rentals have grown from over $1 million (1987) to over $20 million (2012).
2. Mooring Dolphin Rentals: Short-term rental of mooring dolphins at $75 per day per dolphin.
3. Aviation Fuel User Fee: $0.05 per gallon user and privilege charge on all delivered aviation fuel regardless of source, applicable to airport and industrial park lessees.
4. Tower Space Leasing: Lease of space on 400-foot self-support tower for telecommunications equipment, with application fees and rental charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Port Fourchon, operated by the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, is a multi-use deepwater coastal port and general aviation airport complex that functions as the primary land base for offshore energy support services in the Gulf of America. Its core commercial offerings are waterfront and non-waterfront property leases, mooring dolphin rentals, tower space leases, airport T-hangar and FBO services, harbor police security, and an industrial park serving aviation-related and offshore-energy tenants.

Product overview

Port Fourchon is a multi-use deepwater port operated by the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC), a political subdivision of Louisiana established in 1960. It consists of two primary facilities: Port Fourchon (a deepwater port serving offshore energy operations) and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller Jr. Airport (GAO, a general aviation airport). The port operates as a landlord port, providing infrastructure and leasing property to private companies. Key offerings include waterfront and non-waterfront property leases, mooring dolphins, a 400-foot self-support tower for communications, and the Coastal Wetlands Park for recreation and environmental education. The organization also provides Harbor Police security services and various administrative functions for its jurisdiction in the Tenth Ward of Lafourche Parish.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Port Fourchon Deepwater Port Multi-use coastal deepwater port serving as the primary land base for offshore energy support services; handles over 95% of Gulf of Mexico deepwater energy production with 27-foot entrance channel and 83,000+ linear feet of waterfront.
• South Lafourche Leonard Miller Jr. Airport (GAO) General aviation airport with a 6,500-foot runway, 20,000+ flights per year, full FBO services, fuel, hangar leasing, and a 1,200-acre industrial park serving offshore energy crew transport and aviation-related businesses.
• Waterfront Property Leasing Lease opportunities for waterfront property at Port Fourchon, with proposals required for waterfront areas no less than 400 waterfront feet, subject to RFP process and GLPC board approval.
• Non-Waterfront Property Leasing Lease opportunities for non-waterfront property at Port Fourchon, including sites suitable for truck stops, restaurants, and convenience stores, available via RFP.
• Mooring Dolphin Rentals Mooring dolphins available for lease along Flotation Canal and Bayou Lafourche in Port Fourchon, with short-term rental at $75 per day per dolphin.
• 400-Foot Self-Support Tower Leasing A 400-foot self-support tower with equipment building and backup power, available for communications and tower space leasing to interested parties, with a $500 non-refundable application fee.
• Airport T-Hangar (East Bay) Hangar space available for lease at the South Lafourche Airport, with current rental at $318.27 per month.
• South Lafourche Industrial Park 1,200 acres surrounding the South Lafourche Airport slated for industrial development of aviation-related businesses and companies supporting offshore energy activities.
• Harbor Police Services 24/7 security services including patrol by land and water, closed-circuit video surveillance, vessel escorts, and enforcement of port ordinances.
• Coastal Wetlands Park Over 100 acres of purpose-built wetlands featuring a tidal creek for kayaking, paddle boarding, recreational fishing, birdwatching, and environmental education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Port Fourchon services over 95% of Gulf of America's deepwater energy production and plays a strategic role in furnishing about 15% of nation's oil supply
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Argent LNGflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024Argent LNG signed a long-term lease agreement with GLPC in June 2024, securing 144 acres initially for development of up to 20 MTPA LNG facility. In July 2025, GLPC acquired additional 743-acre tract bringing project total to approximately 900 acres for expansion. Argent LNG's project is designed to deliver up to 25 MTPA of lower-carbon LNG using a modular execution model.
• Gulf Wind TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2024Gulf Wind Technology approved a lease agreement at GLPC's December 2023 board meeting that made Port Fourchon the first location in Louisiana to have an actual wind turbine, supporting the port's diversification into renewable energy.
• LOOP (Louisiana Offshore Oil Port)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLOOP, the nation's only deepwater port, is located 18 miles southeast of Port Fourchon and uses the port as its land base. Constructed in 110 feet of water, LOOP serves as the central unloading and distribution point for supertankers, connected to 50% of US refining capacity.
• U.S. National Park ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for Coastal Wetlands Park project through Land and Water Conservation Fund.
• Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and project partner for Coastal Wetlands Park and ongoing environmental restoration projects at Port Fourchon.
• C-Logistics (Edison Chouest Offshore)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative Endeavor Agreement executed in May 2023 with C-Logistics (a company within the Edison Chouest Offshore family), Bollinger Fourchon, and Grand Isle Shipyards for Fourchon Island Development.
• Louisiana Economic Development (LED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for economic development initiatives and business development support for Port Fourchon and the region.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Port of Corpus Christi: Texas deepwater Gulf port that is a primary energy export hub for crude oil, LNG, and refined products; directly comparable to Port Fourchon in serving offshore/energy customers with deepwater channels and large industrial leases.
• Greater Port of Beaumont: Texas Gulf port with deepwater access serving major energy and industrial tenants; comparable landlord model, oil & gas customer concentration, and Gulf-coast energy logistics positioning.
• Port of South Louisiana: Largest U.S. port by tonnage, also a Louisiana landlord port on the lower Mississippi; directly comparable landlord-port structure, property-leasing revenue model, and energy/bulk-cargo tenant base.

Regional players

• Plaquemines Port, Harbor & Terminal District: Louisiana deepwater port district at the mouth of the Mississippi with overlapping O&G and shipping tenants; a regional landlord-port peer competing for Gulf energy, LNG, and breakbulk throughput.
• Port of Morgan City: Louisiana Gulf port serving as an offshore oil & gas service base with vessel and helicopter support; comparable niche overlap with Port Fourchon's supply-vessel and aviation ecosystem.
• Port of Iberia: Louisiana Gulf port providing dockside support for offshore oil & gas service vessels; comparable in mission and Gulf customer base, though smaller in scale and on the opposite side of the basin.

Broad incumbents

• Port of New Orleans: Deepwater Louisiana port with overlapping energy and breakbulk tenants; a comparably sized regional port authority competing for ship calls and industrial tenants along the same Gulf supply chain.
• Port of Mobile: Large Gulf deepwater port with diversified cargo including energy, steel, and containers; broader incumbent offering overlapping energy and bulk-cargo capabilities with Port Fourchon's landlord-port service mix.

Others

• Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP): The only U.S. deepwater port capable of offloading VLCCs/ULCCs, located 18 miles offshore from Port Fourchon and physically dependent on it as a land base; not a competitor but the most strategically integrated counterparty, sharing 10-15% of U.S. domestic and foreign oil flows.

Emerging players

• Sabine Pass LNG (Cheniere Energy): Operating LNG export terminal on the Texas-Louisiana border and the natural counterpart to Argent LNG's planned Port Fourchon facility; directly comparable in how its operations consume deepwater port, marine support, and aviation services in the same Gulf basin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FourchonPort

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port Fourchon