The board and district are given powers to manage port facilities, regulate commerce and traffic in the port area, charge fees, and enter contracts, while exclusive franchises to carriers are barred.
§1603. Rights and powers of board The board may, upon such terms as it may agree upon, contract for legal, financial, engineering and other professional services necessary or expedient in the conduct of its affairs, and it may, upon terms and conditions mutually agreeable, utilize the services of the other executive departments of the state. The district shall regulate the commerce and traffic within such port area in such manner as may, in its judgment, be for the best interest of the state. It shall have charge of and administer public wharves, docks, sheds and landings, and shall be empowered to construct or acquire and equip wharves and landings and other structures useful for the commerce of the port area and to provide mechanical facilities therefor; to construct slips and inlets and wharves for the facilitation of agricultural commodities including, but not limited to slips and inlets and wharves for the transportation of agricultural commodities and the facilitation of handling facilities; to construct inlets, slips, wharves and all other structures for the facilitation and handling and sale of all natural resources, including but not limited to all forms of seafood; to erect sheds or other structures on such wharves and landings; to maintain proper depths of water at all such wharves and landings; to provide light, water, police protection and other services for its facilities as it may deem advisable; to construct or acquire, maintain and operate basins, locks, canals, warehouses and elevators; to charge for the use of all facilities administered by it and for all services rendered by it, such fees, rates, tariffs, or other charges as it may establish; to establish harbor lines within the port area by agreement with the Corps of Engineers; and to construct, own, operate and maintain terminal rail facilities and other common carrier rail facilities for the purpose of rendering rail transportation to and from the facilities to be erected, owned and operated by the district in both intrastate and interstate commerce; and to construct recreational facilities to accommodate existing and future industry. The legislature shall not impair any contract lawfully entered into by the district. Title to all property and improvements thereon operated by the district shall vest in the Twin Parish Port District. The district may charge a reasonable fee to each vessel arriving in the port area in ballast or carrying cargo of any kind. It may also charge for each copy of any certificate issued by it or by any of its officers or employees for inspecting hatches, surveying cargo, or making other surveys or inspections of vessels in the port area, but shall furnish, without charge to the master of each such vessel one copy of all surveys upon his vessel or cargo. The district shall have authority to make and enter into contracts, leases and other agreements with railroads, trucking companies, barge lines and with any and all companies interested in the transportation, storage and shipping of goods and other products, whether by rail, truck line, barge line, ocean going vessels or otherwise for the use of facilities administered by the district or any part or portion thereof, for a period of time not exceeding forty years. No exclusive franchise, however, shall be granted to any carrier. The district is further authorized to receive, by gift, grant, donation or otherwise any sum of money, aid or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof. Acts 1977, No. 203, §1.