2023 GNO Jobs Report: Explore the top occupations in the region

October 4, 2018

It’s official: Avondale Shipyard has new owners who promise job creation

Midday the locked gates at the long-shuttered Avondale Shipyard came open.

“They say good things come to those who wait. I will say good things come to those who work,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.

The sprawling site has been idle since 2014. During its heyday, Avondale employed 26,000 workers, building vessels during both war and peace times.

After years of unsuccessful attempts to reach a deal that would revitalize the site, the latest efforts finally paid off.

“I am proud to announce that Avondale Marine, LLC., has purchased this site from Huntington Ingalls Industries,” Governor Edwards said before dozens gathered at a press conference at the shipyard along the Mississippi.

Avondale Marine, LLC., is a partnership of Virginia-based T. Parker Host and Hilco of Illinois.

“Over the coming months and years we’re going to transform this ship building facility into a global logistics hub,” said Adam Anderson, President and CEO of T. Parker Host.

By Sabrina Wilson | October 4, 2018 at 5:16 PM CDT – Updated October 5 at 5:51 AM
AVONDALE, LA (WVUE) – Midday the locked gates at the long-shuttered Avondale Shipyard came open.

“They say good things come to those who wait. I will say good things come to those who work,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.

The sprawling site has been idle since 2014. During its heyday, Avondale employed 26,000 workers, building vessels during both war and peace times.

After years of unsuccessful attempts to reach a deal that would revitalize the site, the latest efforts finally paid off.

“I am proud to announce that Avondale Marine, LLC., has purchased this site from Huntington Ingalls Industries,” Governor Edwards said before dozens gathered at a press conference at the shipyard along the Mississippi.

Avondale Marine, LLC., is a partnership of Virginia-based T. Parker Host and Hilco of Illinois.

“Over the coming months and years we’re going to transform this ship building facility into a global logistics hub,” said Adam Anderson, President and CEO of T. Parker Host.

“Instead of cutting a ribbon earlier today, we’ve cut the chains off the gates here at Avondale,” said Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni.

The new multi-modal facility will employ maritime, rail and highway infrastructure. Previously, T. Parker Host and Hilco worked together to turn an old steel mill in Baltimore into what is now Tradepoint Atlantic.

“So we’re going to be doing things like taking steel piping and threading it and then that will go into other projects, other companies, other industries, so we’re actually creating parts of the value chain here. So there are going to be spinoff companies that pop up around Avondale,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO, Inc.

Currently no state incentives are part of the deal.

“The estimates are between 2,500 to 3,000 jobs over the next several years, but it won’t be until the jobs are created that Louisiana is actually on the hook for any incentives, so this is the way you should do projects like this,” Gov. Edwards stated.

It is thought that the new venture will help to emphasize that the New Orleans area is open to new economic development.

“We’re able to give confidence to individuals where ever they are in the world, or in this country that they can invest successfully here in Louisiana,” the governor said. “You’ve got a mile of deep-water access on the river, you’ve got all of these raw materials coming in, rubber, steel. Now is a chance to capture that cargo, to add value, to create jobs and frankly to take a step toward New Orleans once again competing with Houston and Savannah to be a true port to the world,” Hecht stated.

Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

To read the full article click here.