Admiral Karl Schultz, the 26th commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, visited New Orleans on June 19th to tour port facilities on the Lower Mississippi River from aboard the Port of New Orleans fireboat, the M/V Gen. Roy S. Kelley. Leaders from the Coast Guard, State of Louisiana, Port of New Orleans and industry leaders participated in the tour which was arranged by Rear Admiral Paul Thomas, commander of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District. 

The visit was part of a nationwide tour of ports aimed at highlighting both the Coast Guard’s the significant impact of maritime commerce and the Coast Guard’s Maritime Commerce Strategic Outlook. The group visited St. Bernard Port’s Chalmette Slip, a slack water slip operated by Associated Terminals, Turn Services’ fleeting areas, and Associated Terminal’s midstream cargo transloading operations. 

As the M/V Gen. Roy S. Kelley moved downriver, representatives from the Coast Guard, the Port of New Orleans discussed numerous inland maritime issues with the Commandant. On the transit to the St. Bernard Port’s Chalmette Slip, the group had the opportunity to see both the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Lock, the Algiers Lock, and Turn Services’ Dockside Fleet, which is strategically located between both locks and near Associated Terminals’ operation at Chalmette Slip. 

“At Dockside Fleet, we have the ability to moor 150 barges and with these barges, we support midstream and terminal operations throughout the port. Due to its strategic location between the locks, both Turn Services and the fleet play a role in moving significant cargos including liquid cargos,” stated Mario Muñoz, President of Turn Services. 

This is a dynamic environment and it is absolutely critical that we have unity of effort here with state and local officials, with ports, with pilots, and our Coasties have to be connected. It truly is team basketball here,” Admiral Karl Schultz Schultz said. 

This is a dynamic environment and it is absolutely critical that we have unity of effort here with state and local officials, with ports, with pilots, and our Coasties have to be connected. It truly is team basketball here,” Admiral Karl Schultz Schultz said.

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