Labor shortage at the Port of New Orleans

The port of New Orleans recovered remarkably fast after Hurricane Katrina roared through the city. But now there are reports indicating that port operations could be hampered by a shortage of available workers. Housing is the overriding concern for a lot of companies trying to attract labor forces back to New Orleans. Along with the "first responders," stevedores put up their workers on cruise and Navy ships that were made available by the US Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (Marad). As is the case with other emergency measures, this project will reportedly come to an end soon. By March 5, the last of the Marad ships will be gone, and the port workers will be left to their own devices to find housing. It is feared that many will simply leave town because there are not enough apartments, trailers, or houses available just yet. Stevedoring companies are responding to the situation as best as they can. Some have informed their customers that rates are bound to go up again and that discharge service might be slower than it used to be. Some stevedores are reluctant to perform midstream discharge into barges, preferring to work ships at the docks. Recovery in New Orleans has been slow in coming, and the port operation is no exception.