News & Events

Another great year celebrated at The Port meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                       February 25, 2009

ANOTHER GREAT YEAR CELEBRATED

AT PORT MEETING

Growth and Progress Abound in 2008!

SHREVEPORT, La. - The Port of Shreveport Bossier set the spotlight on another successful year.

James Pannell, president of the Caddo-Bossier Parishes Port Commission, presented an overview of The Port of Shreveport-Bossier's operations and activities in 2008 at their Annual Meeting.

The Feb. 18 meeting was held in conjunction with the Red River Valley Association's Annual Convention at DiamondJacks Casino & Resort. The meeting provides an annual opportunity for the Port of Shreveport-Bossier to provide updates on the status of major projects and share successes in economic development.

            Pannell said, "Each year we take the opportunity to ask a really important question: ‘Does The Port of Shreveport-Bossier continue to deliver a good return on the taxpayers' investments?' And once again, we can say Yes! 2008 was one more year Port operations were conducted 100% from self generating business units, such as the general cargo operations, rail operations and land use development. Jobs and total investment continues to be The Port's major focus. With the level of expansion of our current business partners, as well as our own operations and infrastructure, 2009 promises to break records in both jobs and investment."

2008 Highlights include:

• Infrastructure improvements at The Port continued at a fast pace in 2008. Kicking off the New Year were improvements to the tank and truck terminal for Red River Terminals and the design of a new 100,000 square-foot warehouse for ADS Logistics. During the year, other infrastructure projects included:

• § the new "MURF" (Materials Recovery Facility) for Pratt Industries,
• § an expanded rail receiving yard,
• § a new dock road to the slack water harbor,
• § the Maxine Sarpy Boulevard,
• § the Richard Pratt Drive
• § AEP SWEPCO's new substation and
  
  

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The Port's 2008 Highlights
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2008 Highlights Continued

• § A new four-acre concrete hardstand was built adjacent to the general cargo wharf with its
• o own rail siding, truck entrances and conveyors.
• o The design is also complete for additional rail to better accommodate unit train moves.

As the year drew to an end, more infrastructure projects began and they include

• § a re-use water line and re-use water pump house,
• § A new dock and dock crane to service the slack water harbor and new roads.
  
  

• One reason The Port is so attractive to new business is because of its commitment to stay focused on future growth and future needs. Unlike many ports in the U.S. that are congested and beyond capacity, The Port of Shreveport-Bossier strives to stay ahead of the growth curve, and as a result, offers a tremendous multi-modal industrial site that is not congested and is definitely "open for business!"
  
  
• The Port continued to fulfill its mission and expand its role in the economic development process by facilitating conduit type bond issues. In addition, the Port's positive financial position and favorable bond rating facilitated a 15 million dollar revenue bond issue - the proceeds of which were dedicated to expanding The Port complex, including land and a five mile rail storage yard.
  
  
• In 2008 The Port experienced an overall tonnage growth of 18%. In January, The Port took receipt of an additional locomotive which allowed The Port to increase operations and improve reliability. The Port saw a 46% increase in rail tonnage.
  
  
• The Port also developed and began using a web-based database and wireless barcode scanner in 2008. The database allows customers to log onto the secured site and view their car inventory, while the scanner helps reduce errors and improves the data entry process for approximately 5,000 cars a year.
  
  
• In 2008, Davison Terminal Service saw significant growth and expansion of ground, rail and barge traffic. In order to better manage their increased barge demand, Davison, in partnership with Genesis Energy L.P., purchased Grifco Transportation Limited. With this purchase, Davison and Genesis will have access to Grifco's twelve existing barges and seven push boats.
  
  
• TruSouth installed twelve new tanks in 2008 to give them 250-thousand gallons of capacity in their tank farm, bringing their total up to 1.5 million gallons. This is a 1.1 million dollar investment.

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The Port's 2008 Highlights
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2008 Highlights Continued

• As The Port looks forward, 2009 will see the opening of Pratt Industries' Waste Paper Mill which will produce light-weight 23-pound liners and mediums for Pratt's own internal consumption.
• Poised to serve as a strong marketing tool for 2009, The Port's new website (www.portsb.com) has been designed to be the next best thing to visiting with a Port official. This highly informative site promises to attract even more attention to how well The Port Works! The website will assist site selectors by providing all the essential facts about this dynamic industrial park and its efficient multi-modal transportation network. The site also provides a wealth of information about our community and northwest Louisiana.
• In an effort to go "go green" this year, The Port did not print our Annual Report. Instead an electronic version was created and you will find it on the new website.

Pannell concluded the evening by saying, "The credit for this new dynamic era at The Port goes to you - our legislators, elected officials, customers, governmental officials - and the citizens of Caddo and Bossier Parishes. There can be no doubt; The Port of Shreveport-Bossier is a strong economic engine for development in Northwest Louisiana."

The 2,000-acre Port of Shreveport-Bossier is located at the head of navigation on the Red River Waterway in Northwest Louisiana. An inland multi-modal transportation and distribution center, The Port works hand in hand with the port system of Louisiana to successfully link customers throughout the Ark-La-Tex region to domestic and international markets via the Mississippi River, the nation's largest river system, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

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Submitted by: Emi FitzGerald/ Gremillion & Pou and Associates, Inc. / 318.424.2676 x319 / efitzgerald@gpmarketinginc.com

Released by: Marilyn Haley, Public Affairs Manager / The Port of Shreveport-Bossier/ 318.524.2272 /

mhaley@portsb.com