MESSAGE TO STAKEHOLDERS - February 13, 2026
Congratulations are in order for the Port of Morgan City Executive Director, Raymond “Mac” Wade. Mac was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce at its Annual Banquet on Friday, January 30, 2026.
Mac is a Waynesboro, MS native who quickly learned to live, work and play in Morgan City, LA. Upon graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1975, he moved to Morgan City to work in the oilfield industry. It is here where he met his future wife Karen Beadle Wade in 1976, and he has been a resident of Morgan City ever since. Mac and Karen have 2 grown children and 2 grandsons.
On May 13, 1987, Mac was appointed as a commissioner for the Morgan City Harbor & Terminal District, generally referred to as the Port of Morgan City. While the State of Louisiana created the “District” in 1952, and business was conducted, the district did not have a physical marine terminal location until 1989 when a lease on 800 Youngs Road was signed with the H & B Young Foundation at the urging of Mac. A dock, warehouse and rail spurs were constructed on the property, and the first ship arrived in the early 1990’s. Cars were shipped to Mexico, and steel, lumber and reefer containers for seafood were all offloaded at the dock.
Mac resigned from the Commission on August 27, 2011, after serving on the Board of Commissioners for 24 years, holding the office of Vice President from 2002-2006 and President from 2006-2011. Two years later, on August 28, 2013, he was named Executive Director of the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District (Port of Morgan City) by the Port’s Board of Commissioners.
Mac has been appointed to a variety of committees, boards and commissions. He has represented the Port of Morgan City on the Coastal Port Advisory Authority which was established by Act 180 of the 2013 Regular Legislative Session. In November 2015, he was selected as a member of the Project Review Committee for the Louisiana Transportation Research Committee for LA Department of Transportation Research Project 16-4SS (DREDGING LOUISIANA’S PORTS). Mac served on the IRPT (Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals) Board of Directors from April 2016 to April 2018, and as a member of the Navigation Focus Group for the CPRA Coastal Master Plan. Mac has served on the South Louisiana Security Committee for Captain of the Port Houma Zone and as a member of the Advisory Board to the Higher Education Maritime Campus Consortium Task Force.
Mac was appointed to the Atchafalaya River Basin Restoration and Enhancement Task Force by Governor John Bel Edwards on March 5, 2021, and to the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission by Governor Jeff Landry on July 26, 2024. He is a member of the Acadiana Regional Workgroup for the 2029 Coastal Master Plan and a member of the Atchafalaya (Basin) Master Plan Community Engagement Group.
Top priority for Mac and the Port Commission has been to ensure that stakeholders who transit the Atchafalaya River and Bayous Boeuf, Black and Chene have a consistent, navigable 20-foot deep by 400’ wide channel as authorized by Congress. While many may be familiar with this story, it is one worth repeating.
In 2012, the Operations & Maintenance dredging budget was reduced from approximately $18 million per year to as little as $6.6 million a year due to McDermott moving its operation out of the country. As a result, channel dimensions were reduced, and the Port of Morgan City lost Purina Mills import/export operations in early 2015. In addition to reduced funding, “fluff” in the bar channel was further hindering navigation.
Mac was involved with research, tests and demonstrations with consultants, commissioners, the Corps, and the federal delegation to find and fund a more innovative way to manage fluff in the Bar Channel. As a result, on December 8, 2019, the Arulaq, a specialty-built dredge constructed at Halimar Shipyard in Morgan City, departed for the Atchafalaya River Bar Channel under contract with the Corps of Engineers. The Arulaq, operated by Brice Civil Constructors, overcame many obstacles and exceeded expectations. The Arulaq has proven that “fluff” can be managed in the Bar Channel in a more economical and efficient manner. The Corps awarded a second contract, for a period of 4 years, to Brice Civil Constructors on September 26, 2023 to continue its work in the Bar Channel. Work is underway to have a new contract in place prior to the expiration of the current contract. Mac has been invited to speak about the success of the Arulaq in the Bar Channel at the Corps of Engineers New Orleans District Industry Day later this month.
He has reached out to the Corps of Engineers, members of our federal and state delegation and many other agencies. He has been persistent in building relationships, telling the Port’s story and justifying funding so that shipyards, fabrication yards, and other stakeholders could deliver their projects that provide safety and security for our nation out to the Gulf of America. “Quit” has never been a word in Mac’s vocabulary!
Dredging dollars began to increase in 2018. However, as funding was being allocated the Atchafalaya River would be affected by record rainfall and record periods of high water or tropical storms and hurricanes. Money that was allocated to dredge in Bayou Chene had to be used in other locations on the river.
The journey was never easy, but persistence finally paid off! During the 8 fiscal years from 2018 through 2025, over $354,000,000 has been allocated to the Atchafalaya River and Bayous Boeuf. Black & Chene federally authorized project, providing 20 feet deep by 400 feet wide dimensions in the entire channel.
Two dredges are currently working in Bayou Chene, the Captain Frank is mobilized at Crewboat Cut, and the Arulaq continues to operate in the Bar Channel. By providing a reliable, navigable channel, the Port serves as an economic engine for the area. Today our channel supports our national defense and economic prosperity. Industry supports a variety of energy activities (including fabrication of components going to massive LNG plants), aerospace activities, and National Defense and U. S. Government Contracts.
Colonel Scotty Autin, who took command of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District on July 25, 2025, was the guest speaker at the Atchafalaya Intracoastal Coalition January 2026 luncheon meeting. After the luncheon, Port staff and the St. Mary Levee District took the Colonel on an industry tour by water. While the current metric used to rank ports is tonnage, and it is still important for waterway users to report tonnage, the Colonel explained that the Port of Morgan City may not grade well in tonnage, but the value of “who we are and what we do” should not be understated. This is the message the Port should continue to communicate in order to continue to receive consistent, adequate and reliable yearly funding.
Port representatives have worked closely with the U. S. Coast Guard, the Corps of Engineers, and members of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association to maintain safe navigation on the waterways, including Stouts Pass, where dredging activity will likely commence by mid-March.
The Port of Morgan City is a member of the newly formed Bayou Safety Committee (BSC) of South Louisiana. The BSC provides a forum to address marine transportation system issues and concerns with a focus on maritime safety within the navigable waterways and ports between Larose to Intercoastal City, including Grand Isle.
In addition to supporting navigation interests, the Port has been involved since 1987 in bringing tax dollars back to the local community. The port has received over $94 million in state monies which includes almost $64 million in capital outlay for projects that include the port’s 32,000 Square Foot Governmental Operations and Emergency Center, dock improvements, dry dock repairs, bulkheading, and some incidental dredging. The remaining $30 million in state funding came from the state Department of Transportation and Development “Port Priority Program.” Over the years, these funds have been used to build the port’s 20,000 square foot warehouse, over 3,500 linear feet of rail, and the port’s dock, including the completion of the East Dock expansion and the new western dock expansion which is expected to be complete by late summer 2027.
The port has also received over $22 million in federal funding from the EDA, FEMA’s Port Security Grant Program, and the U. S. Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program and its U. S. Marine Highways Program.
The West Dock Expansion will be partially funded through the award of a $10,000,000 Port Infrastructure Development Program grant. A pre-bid conference was held on February 10, 2026, with bids scheduled to be accepted March 5, 2026. Notice to Proceed is expected to be approved at the Port’s March 16, 2026 commission meeting. T. Baker Smith serves as the engineer for this project. Upon completion clients will be provided with over 1,900 feet of waterfront and 35 acres of storage and lay down area.
A 25-ton Manitowoc crane was delivered to the Port’s 800 Youngs Road terminal facility in December. A 55,000-pound Taylor forklift is expected to be delivered in May 2026. Funding for both was made possible through the award of a $3,500,000 MARAD Marine Highway Grant.
Rail upgrades, dock expansion projects, and new equipment will enhance the port’s effort to create and support economic development opportunities in the area.
The Port of Morgan City strives to build and maintain relationships within the community, region and nation that will enable them to provide a consistent navigable channel for waterway users and to function as an economic engine for the area. The Port supports business retention and expansion and new business opportunities that will benefit the area. The Port hosts meetings and functions that will inform, educate and provide benefit for stakeholders.
Mac provided updates to the St. Mary Parish Council, and the Morgan City and Berwick Councils, and he attended St. Mary Parish Council of Governments quarterly meetings. He also presented updates at Chamber of Commerce membership luncheons, to the Chamber Leadership Group, to the Atchafalaya Intracoastal Coalition, and to the Mississippi River Commission High Water and Low Water Public Meetings. He has done numerous interviews for the Daily Review, KWBJ, Waterways Journal, and The Advocate, to name a few.
The Port of Morgan City hosted their 13th Annual Hurricane Preparedness meeting, along with St. Mary Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, on April 22, 2025, at the Port’s Emergency Operation Center. Each year the Port, St. Mary Parish OHSEP, Lake Charles National Weather Service, NOAA, St. Mary Levee District, United States Coast Guard, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, city and parish officials and business leaders meet to learn about new methods and technology at the National Weather Service and to discuss emergency preparations for tropical storms and hurricanes and recovery efforts.
Port staff has participated in St. Mary Excel meetings and workshops and in meetings, seminars, and events hosted by COLAB, formerly South Louisiana Economic Council (SLEC), a non-profit economic development agency serving Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne Parishes.
As Economic Development Manager for the Port of Morgan City, I am a member of the Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (LEAD), an organization for economic development professionals in Louisiana. I also serve on the South Louisiana Community College Young Memorial Campus Advisory Board, the South Louisiana Community College Maritime Advisory Craft Committee, and the St. Mary Parish Public Schools Industry Advisory Board.
Michael Knobloch, the Port’s grant writer and Facility Security Officer is a member of the South Louisiana Area Maritime Security Committee.
Tori Henry, Office Manager, is a 2024 graduate of St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Leadership St. Mary. The 2024 Leadership Class is planning their second annual “Hidden Figures” Luncheon to bring awareness to non-profit organizations in the parish.
The Port of Morgan City is a member of the Ports Association of Louisiana (PAL), Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA), National Waterways Conference (NWC), Gulf Ports Association (GPAA), and Inland River, Ports and Terminals (IRPT). In addition to attending conferences held by these organizations, Port staff has been networking and telling our story at other events such as Breakbulk Americas, the International Workboat Show, the Ouachita River Valley Association Conference, and the Red River Valley Association Conference.
Port staff also continues to monitor coastal programs projects and initiatives by the Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority (CPRA), the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and other state and federal agencies as well as state and national organizations.
The Port’s goal is to remain aware of any project or activity that could be detrimental to navigation through the area and provide public comments accordingly. We also continue to stress the benefits of using Atchafalaya River sediment for coastal restoration and protection projects.
These are just a few activities that we pay close attention to:
- CPRA - Louisiana Coastal Master Plan and Annual Plans
- CPRA – Atchafalaya (Basin) Master Plan and Annual Plans
- USACE – Sustainable Rivers Program
- USACE – Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study
Over the summer of 2025, CPRA hosted public workshops where attendees had the opportunity to brainstorm and refine project proposals to be submitted for the 2029 Coastal Master Plan. CPRA is currently screening the 200 submitted projects for consideration for the 2029 plan. The next workshop is expected to be held around summer of 2026. For more information click on this link: https://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/2029-coastal-master-plan/
The Atchafalaya Master Plan project area starts south of Simmesport, LA and continues south to the Gulf of America. The plan development team is currently evaluating a set of candidate projects, which have been identified and slated for consideration in the Atchafalaya Master Plan through an initial screening process. For more information click on this link: https://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/atchafalaya-master-plan/
On November 18, 2020, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced the creation of the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) Atchafalaya River Project.
From CPRA’s November 18, 2020 News Release:
The SRP is a national program in which the USACE partners with TNC to develop environmental flow regimes to benefit ecosystems downstream of Corps-operated structures. As the lead for the Atchafalaya Basin Program, CPRA will participate in the effort and serve in an advising role.
TNC Director of Freshwater & Marine Science, Dr. Bryan Piazza, said that project partners hope to benefit the Atchafalaya Basin by implementing an experimental flow within the currently-authorized flow rate. The existing authorization allows 30% of the total combined flow of Red River and Mississippi River’s volume to be diverted to the Atchafalaya River.
A virtual public meeting was held on March 12 to discuss the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) Atchafalaya River – Old River Control Structure (ORCS) Project followed by an invitation only SRP – Atchafalaya Old River Control e-flows workshop.
If you would like to see the March 12th virtual presentation on YouTube, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s267tGFx2Rg
The goal of the workshop was to develop environmental-flow (e-flow) recommendations for the Old River Control Complex that could result in benefits to forest health, water quality (flow/exchange) and fish and crawfish habitats within the Atchafalaya Basin. The Port has not received any updates since the e-flow workshop.
The information below on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Comprehensive Management Study can be found on the USACE New Orleans District Website https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/LMRComp/
The Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Comprehensive Management Study is a 5 year, $25M, Mega Study that will evaluate alternatives for ensuring effective long-term management of the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf of America. The study will look to evaluate all operations and management aspects of the lower Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system in an adaptable, resilient, and sustainable manner. This Regional study team shall conduct a study of the LMR basin for the purposes of hurricane and storm damage reduction, flood risk management, structural and nonstructural flood control, floodplain management strategies, navigation, ecosystem and environmental restoration, water supply, hydropower production, recreation, and other purposes as determined by the Secretary of the Army. USACE will execute the study in consultation with applicable Federal, State and local agencies, Tribes, non-Federal interests, and other stakeholders. In accordance with the authorities for the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) project, the Study shall develop and provided actionable recommendations to Congress.
June 2025 update (from USACE)
The study has completed critical engineering and planning work for the Nation to provide a more resilient Mississippi River & Tributaries (MR&T) system in the future. Recent extreme high and low water events are creating stressors on the system as a whole, and the critical work in this study has proposed solutions to the future dynamic operation of structures within the system for continued successful flood risk management and navigational security.
To date the LMRC has reached the final array of alternatives which includes constructable alternatives, identified tiered studies to tackle additional large-scale issues within the system, and other opportunities for stakeholders to implement. Funding is needed to develop the Tentatively Selected Plan and to make a recommendation for action to the Chief of Engineers and Congress.
Once future funding is received, the study will resume at the Final Array of Alternatives stage.
Note: No funds were allocated in the USACE FY 25 workplan which caused the study to be put on hold.
February Update—It appears the study will continue soon as per a recent article in the Advocate:
Corps spokesperson Ricky Boyett said Friday that Congress appropriated another $5 million for the study in an expansive bill approved in January and signed by President Donald Trump. The Corps will resume work on the study “once these funds are received,” he said, without specifying when that could occur.
Issues being analyzed include saltwater intrusion, operations of the Old River Control Structure near Angola, which keeps the Mississippi from changing course to the Atchafalaya, and shipping concerns along one of the world’s most important transportation lanes.
The Port will continue to monitor these critical programs in support of its stakeholders.
If you should have questions or comments about any of the above information, please call the port office at 985-384-0850 at any time. Board meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at 12:00 noon. The public is always welcome to attend.
Sincerely,
Cindy Cutrera
Economic Development Manager
Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District
