The Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District approved stevedore licenses for SSA and On-site Solutions LLC at a special meeting on Dec. 20, 2024, after public comment and debate about local hiring and cargo handling.

Bridal Miller, identified as general manager of Logistics Terminals, told the board he opposed adding more stevedore licenses because ‘‘competition … will shut down both long committed union and non union stevedores alike’’ and said the local market’s capacity is already divided. Miller said limited berthing and cargo space make it difficult for current stevedores to remain viable if additional licenses are granted.

Bruce Henderson, vice president of materials for On-site Solutions LLC, described the company’s planned cargo and handling needs, saying the firm expects to bring ‘‘about 1,200,000 tons of cement’’ in super sacks and other large, sensitive project cargo such as 90-foot concrete piles that, he said, require careful unloading. Henderson told the board On-site intends to ‘‘hire as many local Lake Charles stevedores, union, non union’’ as possible and that the company plans to bring experienced supervisory management and to train local personnel. He also gave an estimated pay range for personnel ‘‘between 20 and $45 an hour.’’

Michael Brown, who identified himself as a business agent for Local 2047, urged the board to prioritize local workers, saying Lake Charles ‘‘has the people’’ and local resources that should receive the work and revenue.

Staff told the board that On-site moved roughly 100,000 tons in 2024 and that projections for related cargo volumes included figures around 1,320,000 tons for 2025; staff also referenced an associated dollar figure of approximately $3,200,000 tied to On-site cargo projections presented at the meeting.

Board members raised process and timing concerns. One member asked for a month’s delay to negotiate with local stevedores; Henderson said ships were expected within roughly three weeks and the company needed a plan to avoid backlog. A separate board member raised an allegation that people previously brought in for work had been suspected of theft and that charges were filed with the district attorney; that member asked whether those workers would be used if a license were granted.

The board voted the items separately after a motion to separate the applications passed. SSA’s license was approved by a voice vote; the chair declared, ‘‘The ayes have it.’’ A motion to table the On-site item failed for lack of a second, and the board then approved On-site’s license after a roll-call vote in which Mister Goresi, Mister Johnson and Miss Bales recorded ‘‘yes’’ votes and Mister Crater recorded a ‘‘nay.’’ The chair declared the On-site motion passed on the roll call.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that was seconded and approved.

Votes at a glance:
• SSA (stevedore license): Passed by voice vote (chair declared 'The ayes have it').
• On-site Solutions LLC (stevedore license): Passed on roll-call vote; recorded votes included Mister Goresi (yes), Mister Johnson (yes), Miss Bales (yes), Mister Crater (nay); chair declared motion passed.

What’s next: Board members discussed timing for the next regular meeting in late January; no additional formal action or conditions were recorded in the meeting minutes regarding follow-up reporting or specific workforce agreements.