5 of Louisiana’s deep-water ports alongside the Decrease Mississippi River have launched a joint advertising and marketing initiative aimed toward boosting worldwide commerce, attracting international funding and enhancing the state’s aggressive edge in world commerce.

The Port of Larger Baton Rouge, Port of South Louisiana, Port of New Orleans, St. Bernard Port, and Louisiana Gateway Port have signed a cooperative settlement to companion with Polaris Analytics & Consulting to create a unified advertising and marketing technique. The transfer, introduced August 7, is being hailed as a major step towards financial alignment and development for Louisiana’s maritime sector.

The initiative is backed by Gov. Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Funding Fee and aligns with broader financial targets outlined by Louisiana Financial Growth (LED). The ports collectively type one of many busiest port techniques on the planet, dealing with over 500 million tons of cargo yearly—practically 20% of the nation’s whole quantity.

“This collaboration amongst our Decrease Mississippi River ports is a strong instance of regional alignment,” stated Susan B. Bourgeois, LED secretary. “By talking with one voice and leveraging shared strengths, these ports are enhancing Louisiana’s world commerce presence and creating high-wage jobs.”

Polaris will assess every port’s strategic place, facilitate stakeholder engagement, conduct aggressive benchmarking, and develop a shared worth proposition and advertising and marketing roadmap. The trouble builds on a March 2025 report titled Cargo Market Evaluation and Technique for the Decrease Mississippi River Ports, and helps the state’s imaginative and prescient of long-term financial competitiveness.

Julia Fisher Cormier, commissioner of the Louisiana Workplace of Multimodal Commerce, emphasised the strategic influence of the collaboration: “Every port brings distinct strengths, however collectively they function as a unified power — driving world commerce, fueling trade and positioning America as a dominant contender within the worldwide market.”

Port leaders echoed that sentiment, pointing to the advantages of pooling assets and talking to the worldwide market as a single, highly effective bloc.

“This collaborative advertising and marketing technique will harness the collective power of those important maritime hubs,” stated Jay Hardman, government director of the Port of Larger Baton Rouge. “By uniting assets, our ports can entice broader commerce alternatives and improve visibility.”

Different port executives famous the long-term implications of the settlement, together with improved notion of Louisiana’s logistics ecosystem and the power to compete extra successfully for worldwide enterprise.

The Decrease Mississippi River ports stretch 256 miles alongside the river and assist 1000’s of jobs whereas serving as a vital artery for U.S. exports and imports. By aligning their advertising and marketing and strategic messaging, port officers hope to place Louisiana as a top-tier vacation spot for maritime commerce and industrial funding.

The technique is anticipated to roll out in phases over the approaching 12 months, with Polaris main each planning and execution.