KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Midshipmen train at Port of Shreveport-Bossier

Midshipmen train at Port of Shreveport-Bossier

By Jeff Ferrell - bio|email

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Two midshipmen from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy are in training this week, learning firsthand how ports operate.  And they've come to the Port of Shreveport-Bossier for that training. 

"For this size of a river these facilities are phenomenal," declared Charles Waters.  He's a midshipman from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, located in Kings Point, New York.  He and fellow midshipman Riley Milligan are in training at the Port of Shreveport-Bossier in south Caddo Parish. 

While walking along the main dock, these two Texas natives compared this port to other, much larger ports.  "If you go into a container yard you're gonna see trucks flying in, you can't even walk through because it's so dangerous," said Milligan.  Waters then added, "yeah, and our opportunity coming here, actually we're allowed to see the smaller side and actually understand more." 

These two seniors from the USMMA are getting a glimpse of the 'other side' of the industry:  The port.  Milligan said specifically, "what we were sent here to learn is how the port operates from the administrative level." 

KSLA News 12 is told that the two midshipmen will learn one of the maxims of the inland maritime industry, the so-called three 'R's.  That includes:  The rail, the river and the road, or in this case Highway 1. 

Waters and Milligan become the first midshipmen from their academy to train here, where business is good.  "We're pushing, if not already crossed, the six million ton mark," explained Captain Tom Murphy.  He's a port board member and fellow USMMA graduate himself. 

Murphy told us that he hopes to see more midshipmen in the future, to send a message that the inland maritime industry is big business, especially this port which Murphy said serves as a regional commerce center.  "Dallas area uses our port.  East Texas uses our port.  Arkansas uses our port."

And Waters told us he likes what he's seen here.  "And if I have an opportunity eventually after graduation I could possibly come work in a place like this as a port engineer." 

Captain Murphy said "word of mouth" is everything in his industry.  And if the midshipmen return home with positive news, it can only help the Port of Shreveport-Bossier 'down the road.'

©2009 KSLA-TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.