St. Bernard Port, Harbor, & Terminal District

What St. Bernard Port, Harbor, & Terminal District does

St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District is a political subdivision of the State of Louisiana operating as a landlord port on the lower Mississippi River between Mile Markers 83.5 and 90.5 AHP, adjacent to Chalmette, Arabi, Meraux, and Violet in St. Bernard Parish. The port encompasses over 430 acres across four terminals (Arabi, Chalmette, Meraux Mooring, and Violet) with 1.8 million square feet of building space, five ship berths at the Arabi and Violet terminals, midstream mooring buoys at Meraux accommodating up to Capesize vessels, and the only calm-water, deep-draft slip on the lower Mississippi River. It generates revenue primarily through long-term industrial leases (50 occupied lease areas), usage-based vessel mooring and terminal tariffs published publicly, and 934 acres of hunting lease property. The Industrial Business Park provides intermodal access via six Class 1 railroads (notably Norfolk Southern and New Orleans Public Belt), interstate highways (I-10, I-510, I-610), and inland waterway connections to Pittsburgh, Chicago, Houston, and beyond.

The port's tenant base is anchored by Associated Terminals, which has served as the exclusive Marine Terminal Operator for over 20 years and employs 250+ workers in cargo handling, warehousing, bagging, and screening services, and by American Sugar Refining (ASR Group / Domino Sugar) under a 10-year lease for an 80,000 sq ft specialized food-grade warehouse. Distribution is multi-modal: 6.6 million short tons of cargo were handled in 2025 across nearly 300 vessel calls, and cumulative tonnage over the past decade reached 80.5 million tons. The 2025 completion of the $38–40 million Chalmette Slip Rehabilitation restored a 108-year-old slip to full operation for the first time in 40 years, supporting fuel, chemical, and grain flows. A 2024 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports and other lower Mississippi River ports, plus conveyance of Violet Terminal property to the Port of New Orleans for potential container terminal development, position the port for deeper integration into the regional and national logistics network.

Operationally, the port is governed by a Board of Commissioners appointed by the Louisiana governor, with Drew M. Heaphy as Executive Director and Ross Gonzales as Chief Operating Officer. The 2025 Economic Impact Assessment prepared by the University of New Orleans Transportation Institute quantifies 2,267 statewide jobs supported, $183.2 million in direct economic output, $237.2 million in GDP contribution, and $332 million in total statewide economic output, framing the port as the largest employment facility in St. Bernard Parish and supporting more than 18% of parish jobs. Marketing is community-led, combining website updates, Facebook engagement, public tours, Maritime Month celebrations, and workforce-development programs such as 'We Work the Waterways' at Chalmette High School. Recognition includes the 2023 U.S. Coast Guard AMSC of the Year Award and the 2025 Louisiana DOTD Transportation Excellence Award.

Name

St. Bernard Port, Harbor, & Terminal District

Legal name

St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District

Website

https://stbernardport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District is a Louisiana political subdivision operating a landlord port across four terminals (over 430 acres) on the lower Mississippi River, leasing industrial space and providing deep-water, intermodal cargo services to tenants like Associated Terminals and ASR Group/Domino Sugar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port and Maritime Terminal Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Marine Cargo Handling (488320)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Terminal Cargo Handling & Yard Operations (Receiving, Staging, Delivery) (TLAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inland / River Container Terminals (Barge-Served) (TLAHAAAD), Marine Terminals & Cargo Handling Infrastructure (RoRo, Bulk, Container) (IMAFAJAF)

Keywords

• Port terminal operations
• Maritime shipping services
• Industrial property leasing
• Intermodal cargo handling
• Vessel mooring facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Chalmette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Industrial Leases: Landlord port model with 50 occupied lease areas. Tenants lease warehouse space, laydown areas, and terminal facilities. Long-term agreements with major industrial tenants like American Sugar Refining (ASR Group/Domino Sugar).
2. Terminal and Mooring Tariffs: Vessel mooring fees, terminal usage charges. Multiple tariff schedules including Vessel Mooring Tariff, Violet Terminal Tariff, Arabi Terminal Tariff, and Associated Terminals River Tariff.
3. Hunting Lease Property: 934 acres of hunting property along MRGO near Shell Beach area available for lease.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St. Bernard Port operates as a landlord port encompassing four terminals (Arabi, Chalmette, Meraux, Violet) with over 430 acres along the lower Mississippi River between Mile Markers 81–91 AHP. The port leases industrial warehouse space, laydown areas, and terminal facilities to tenants, and provides vessel mooring, berthing, barge fleeting, and cargo transfer services. Associated Terminals serves as the exclusive marine terminal operator handling cargo operations.

Product overview

St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District is a landlord port that operates as a multi-terminal maritime facility encompassing four main terminals across over 430 acres. The port consists of Arabi Terminal (five ship berths with the only calm-water deep-draft slip on the lower Mississippi), Chalmette Terminal (216-acre industrial park with marine operations), Meraux Mooring (midstream mooring buoys for Capesize vessels), and Violet Terminal (72-acre facility with five berths for vessels up to 800 feet). The Industrial Business Park provides additional 216 acres with intermodal connectivity via truck, rail, and ship. The port generates revenue through leasing warehouse and laydown areas, vessel mooring tariffs, and terminal service fees. Associated Terminals serves as the exclusive marine terminal operator handling cargo operations including bulk, breakbulk, and general cargo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arabi Terminal Terminal facility with five ship berths, mooring dolphin, a 40,000 sq ft dry bulk warehouse, 186,000 sq ft dockside transit shed, and 200,000 sq ft of additional warehousing space. Includes the only calm-water, deep-draft slip on the lower Mississippi River. Serves industrial tenants and maritime vessel operators requiring deep-water access.
• Chalmette Terminal 216-acre industrial park with tour boat landing barge, 600,000 sq ft of building space, and deep-draft midstream vessel mooring and barge fleeting facility. Home to the Administration and Security Complex including the Marine Safety Operation Center (MSOC).
• Meraux Mooring Midstream mooring buoys spanning 1,300 linear feet with barge fleeting facilities capable of accommodating up to a Capesize oceangoing vessel. Located at Mile Marker 86.3 AHP on the Mississippi River.
• Violet Terminal 72-plus acre terminal with five ship berths capable of accommodating vessels ranging from 30-foot work boats to 800-foot blue-water vessels. Located at Mile Marker 83.5 AHP.
• Industrial Business Park 216-acre industrial park located one mile downriver from Arabi Terminal with over 1.8 million sq ft of building space and intermodal facility access via truck, rail, and ship. Provides 50 occupied lease areas supporting over 800 direct, full-time jobs. Targets manufacturing, refining, and processing tenants requiring port-adjacent warehouse and laydown space.
• Hunting Lease Property

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports 2,267 jobs statewide and generates $332 million total economic output
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and secondary.

• Corn Belt PortscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Cooperative Endeavor Agreement unifying Upper and Lower Mississippi River ports. Goals include expanding global markets for U.S. Agricultural Products, supporting federal port/waterways infrastructure investment, navigation channel maintenance, and MARAD Marine Highway Programs. Direct communication channel between lower Mississippi ports and Corn Belt Ports for agricultural product transportation.
• Plaquemine Port, Harbor and Terminal DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Co-signatory on Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports
• Port of Greater Baton RougeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Co-signatory on Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports
• Port of New OrleansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Co-signatory on Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports. Also conveyed property in Violet to Port NOLA for potential container terminal development.
• Port of South LouisianaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Co-signatory on Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports
• Associated TerminalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive marine terminal operator (MTO) at St. Bernard Port for 20+ years. Provides full range of cargo handling services including truck/rail loading/unloading, warehousing, bagging, screening/processing. Employs 250+ workers, many St. Bernard Parish residents. Partnered since 2002 with operations expanded significantly.
• Turn ServicessecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company of Associated Terminals. Career coordinator provides hiring support and workforce development.
• Volkert, Inc.secondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering firm for Chalmette Slip Rehabilitation Project. Award recipient for 2025 DOTD Transportation Excellence Award.
• Boh Bros ConstructionsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHeavy construction firm for Chalmette Slip Rehabilitation Project. Partnered with St. Bernard Port, Volkert, Inc., and Associated Terminals.
• We Work the Waterways (Inland Rivers Ports and Terminals)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative educational program introducing high school students to waterborne transportation careers. Maritime-related activities and career panels at Chalmette High School.
• EntergyminorOthersFortune 500 integrated energy company. Staged at Chalmette Terminal post-Hurricane Ida for power restoration. Created drone footage of port's developable land.
• Nunez Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution participating in We Work the Waterways event with informational booth for students.
• Harbor Police DepartmentminorOthersParticipated in We Work the Waterways event with interactive stations for students.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Associated Terminals: St. Bernard Port's exclusive marine terminal operator for 20+ years and sister company of Turn Services. Operates stevedoring, cargo handling, and warehousing services across multiple river and gulf locations, making it an enabling channel partner rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Mississippi State Port Authority (Port of Gulfport): Public Gulf Coast port authority handling containers, breakbulk, and bulk cargo. Comparable as a state-chartered public port operating multi-terminal facilities on the U.S. Gulf with similar customer segments in ag exports and energy.
• Port of New Orleans: Neighboring Louisiana port authority on the lower Mississippi River and co-signatory on the 2024 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Corn Belt Ports. Operates container, breakbulk, and cruise terminals and is the direct recipient of Violet Terminal property conveyed by St. Bernard Port.
• Port of South Louisiana: Co-signatory on the 2024 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with St. Bernard Port and a fellow Louisiana deep-water port on the lower Mississippi. Operates multi-terminal facilities handling dry bulk, liquid bulk, and breakbulk cargo for similar industrial and agricultural customers.
• Port of Greater Baton Rouge: Louisiana deep-water port on the Mississippi River and co-signatory on the 2024 CEA. Operates industrial and bulk terminals serving petrochemical, agricultural, and manufacturing tenants comparable to St. Bernard Port's customer mix.
• Port of Lake Charles: Louisiana public deep-water port authority handling liquid bulk, dry bulk, and breakbulk cargo for energy and industrial tenants. Comparable landlord-port model and customer overlap in petrochemical and bulk industrial customers.
• Plaquemine Port, Harbor and Terminal District: Smaller Louisiana public port district on the Mississippi River and co-signatory on the 2024 CEA. Operates comparable industrial and terminal facilities for petrochemical and bulk customers, making it a close peer in governance structure and tenant mix.

Broad incumbents

• Port of Corpus Christi: Larger U.S. Gulf port authority and a national leader in energy and bulk exports. Operates a multi-terminal landlord port comparable in structure and industrial customer mix, though at materially greater scale.
• Port Houston: Largest U.S. Gulf port and one of the busiest in the country. Operates public terminals with container, bulk, and breakbulk services comparable to St. Bernard Port's landlord-port model, though at a vastly larger scale.
• Alabama State Port Authority (Port of Mobile): Public Gulf Coast port authority operating container, bulk, and steel terminals. Comparable as a state-chartered landlord port serving industrial tenants with similar breakbulk and bulk exposure, though with a broader container franchise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-bernard-port-harbor-terminal-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 St. Bernard Port, Harbor, & Terminal District