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Port director outlines ferry repairs, new ferry design and infrastructure targets for early 2025
Summary
Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District executive director Charles D. Tillotson reported Jan. 9 on ongoing emergency ferry repairs, a new ferry design in progress, water-line and booster-station projects, rail work and building renovation plans; several tasks remain contingent on federal and state approvals.
Charles D. Tillotson, executive director of the Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District, told the Plaquemines Parish Council on Jan. 9 that emergency repairs to the Bill Chase ferry and two port vessels are underway and that officials are targeting February 2025 to return several boats to service.
Tillotson gave the status report during the council meeting, saying the Pointe a la Hache ferry landing work is waiting on a letter of no objection from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and that a slope analysis has "exceeded the safety factor." He said bridge sections already assembled will be sandblasted and painted at Deep South in Harvey before being moved to the landing.
The updates matter because the ferry system and water infrastructure provide daily connections and services for Plaquemines Parish residents and businesses; the timeline depends on federal and state inspections and weather, officials said.
Tillotson said the port is coordinating a Department of Transportation and Development load test and that the Federal Transit Administration will conduct a site visit on Jan. 16. "We are in a very default aggressive mode to try to make this happen on time," he said.
On vessels, Tillotson said emergency repairs to the Bill Chase ferry are under way and that Port Authorities 1 and 2 have an estimated completion date in February 2025. A new-build ferry has a target completion date of Feb. 28, 2025; the port plans to hire a naval architect to review designs so the vessel meets future demand.
Tillotson also reported progress on nonvessel projects. The Alliance Water Booster Station and feed-line work is moving forward: the port anticipates awarding the Phase 2 contract and expects to finish that phase in March 2025. He said the 20-inch water line along Highway 23 is being installed.
On rail and land, the port has executed a contract with the Venable law firm for Surface Transportation Board work related to an 11-mile rail extension and said three parcels earmarked for container yard purchase will be reappraised once rezoned to heavy industrial, a step the council considered during the same meeting.
Tillotson introduced a proposed rebranding and a building renovation plan, saying cost estimates indicate renovating the existing building would be about half the cost of constructing a comparable new office. He announced new hires: Patrice Bell as chief administrative officer and Shannon Glapion as chief financial officer; port legal counsel was scheduled to start the Monday after the meeting.
Public commenters asked about the ferry timeline and construction progress. Resident Arthur Henry asked whether the February completion date meant the ferry would be running by Mardi Gras; Tillotson responded that the port was "doing everything within our power" but that the Corps' letter and weather remain variables. Resident Clarence Brox asked about visible progress at the shipyard; Tillotson said the components are being prepared for loading and float-out.
The report concluded with Tillotson distributing an executive summary of the renovation study and inviting council feedback on the port's direction.
