海角社区

Scholarship First鈥檚 priorities of agriculture, biomedicine, coast, defense and energy converge in Louisiana鈥檚 ports

Today, 海角社区 and the largest ports in Louisiana announced a partnership to develop cybersecurity talent and technology for critical infrastructure. The collaborative effort connects the university鈥檚 growing strengths in cybersecurity to the ports鈥� pivotal role in the global supply chain and in securing food, energy, goods and materials for the nation and world. 

The agreement between 海角社区 and its port partners outlines opportunities for students and faculty to work with the ports to solve ongoing and emerging cyber challenges. It includes the potential development of cybersecurity testbeds, which are controllable cyber environments for experiments, and joint research to protect port systems as well as broadened collaboration with state and federal security and law enforcement agencies. Primarily, the partnership unites university and port assets to support homegrown cyber talent development for Louisiana. 

鈥淟ike our students and research expertise, Louisiana鈥檚 port system impacts every corner of the state and has national and global reach,鈥� said 海角社区 President William F. Tate IV. 鈥淭he Scholarship First Agenda elevates domains that meet citizens鈥� most pressing needs and define Louisiana鈥檚 role in the world. These areas: agriculture, biomedicine, coast, defense鈥攊ncluding cybersecurity鈥攁nd energy all converge in Louisiana鈥檚 ports. Our designation last year by the National Security Agency, or NSA, as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, or CAE-CO, positions us as one of the best and most technical cybersecurity schools in the country, and we鈥檙e now connecting our talented students and experts with our friends here at Louisiana鈥檚 ports to tackle cybersecurity and critical infrastructure challenges across Louisiana.鈥� 

Louisiana鈥檚 maritime assets create jobs and connect our state to global markets, and the Port of New Orleans is proud to partner with 海角社区 and all Louisiana鈥檚 deepwater ports to raise the cybersecurity bar to ensure the highest levels of protection of our critical port infrastructure 鈥� now and into the future.

Brandy D. Christian, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans

The five partner ports include Port Fourchon on the Gulf of Mexico and four ports along the Mississippi River鈥擯ort of Greater Baton Rouge, Port of New Orleans, Port of South Louisiana and St. Bernard Port鈥攚hich comprise the largest port complex in the world. Louisiana ports carry one-fourth of all waterborne commerce in the United States. Port Fourchon services nearly 100 percent of the Gulf of Mexico鈥檚 deepwater energy production and secures nearly one-sixth of the country鈥檚 oil supply. Statewide, one in every five jobs are reliant on Louisiana鈥檚 ports, which the Ports Association of Louisiana confidently describes as 鈥渢he industry that drives all others.鈥� 

鈥淟ouisiana鈥檚 maritime assets create jobs and connect our state to global markets, and the Port of New Orleans is proud to partner with 海角社区 and all Louisiana鈥檚 deepwater ports to raise the cybersecurity bar to ensure the highest levels of protection of our critical port infrastructure 鈥� now and into the future,鈥� said Brandy D. Christian, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, Louisiana鈥檚 only international container port and cruise passenger hub.  

鈥淧rotecting critical infrastructure at the Port of New Orleans is our top priority,鈥� said Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll. 鈥淭his partnership will advance Harbor Police鈥檚 existing cybersecurity strategy to protect against the current threat landscape while working to address evolving security needs within our industry.鈥� 

鈥淲e appreciate the opportunity to be included in such an important initiative as this one. Our agency has a rich history as a leader in cybersecurity related affairs, as do the other ports we are joined with today for this announcement,鈥� said Chett Chiasson, executive director, Greater Lafourche Port Commission. 鈥淲e look forward to assisting with this worthwhile endeavor moving forward because we understand how vital cybersecurity is, for not only our region, but our nation.鈥� 

鈥淭he commerce that happens along the Lower Mississippi River at the Port of South Louisiana is intertwined with the national security of the United States,鈥� said Paul Matthews, CEO of Port of South Louisiana, Louisiana鈥檚 largest tonnage port and America鈥檚 leading grain exporter. 鈥淭his partnership with 海角社区 and our sister ports will ensure that our state鈥檚 infrastructure and assets are protected in this ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.鈥� 

鈥淭he commerce that happens along the Lower Mississippi River at the Port of South Louisiana is intertwined with the national security of the United States. This partnership with 海角社区 and our sister ports will ensure that our state鈥檚 infrastructure and assets are protected in this ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.鈥� 

Paul Matthews, CEO of Port of South Louisiana

鈥淭he Port of St. Bernard averages annually over 10 million tons of cargo through our four marine terminals. Given our unique position as a primary bulk handler of everything from metals for advanced manufacturing to fertilizer for our national and state food producers as well as the only place on the Lower Mississippi with a deepwater slip, we fully recognize the importance of cybersecurity and protecting these assets,鈥� said Drew Heaphy, executive director of St. Bernard Port. 鈥淲e appreciate the opportunity to participate and look forward to working closely with 海角社区 on talent development and retention, and projects critical to our operations.鈥� 

鈥淭he Port of Greater Baton Rouge鈥檚 strategic location on the Mississippi River enables us to handle a diverse range of cargoes critical to the United States鈥� agriculture, energy, manufacturing and food production industries. As one of the country鈥檚 top ports in total tonnage, we pride ourselves in our ability to adapt to emerging needs,鈥� said Jay Hardman, executive director of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge. 鈥淔rom our docks, we have direct lines of sight to both the Capitol and 海角社区鈥檚 campus, so we are well-positioned and excited to work with this group on cybersecurity challenges and talent development.鈥� 

The Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, signed by 海角社区 and the ports establishes the university as the ports鈥� academic research partner. It underscores the importance of strengthening Louisiana鈥檚 cybersecurity expertise by exposing students to real-world cyber challenges. Additionally, the partnership enables 海角社区 and the ports to engage new federal and industry research partners in defense, homeland security, intelligence and related sectors. Finally, 海角社区鈥檚 recently announced establishment of student-run Security Operations Centers, or SOCs, on their Baton Rouge and Shreveport campuses, positions the university as a valuable threat intelligence and incident response partner with the ports and the state鈥檚 cyber emergency response functions. 

The partner ports are nationally important critical infrastructure assets, reflected in the scale of their operations: 

• The Port of New Orleans is the only international container port in Louisiana, and the 6th largest cruise port. It鈥檚 a modern multimodal gateway connecting the inland U.S. and Canada to markets around the world by river, rail and road. 
• Port Fourchon is home to over 250 companies, services nearly 100 percent of the Gulf of Mexico鈥檚 deepwater energy production, handles significant volumes of domestic and foreign oil, and is connected to 50 percent of the US鈥� refining capacity, ultimately furnishing the country with approximately 16 percent of its entire oil supply. 
• The Port of South Louisiana is the second largest tonnage port in the Western Hemisphere, the largest tonnage port in Louisiana, and the nation鈥檚 grain leader with over 60 percent of the US鈥� grain exported as well as 100 million tons of petrochemical products exported annually. 
• St. Bernard Port is home to the only deep draft slip on the lower Mississippi River, handles nearly 10 million tons of bulk cargo in critical materials, and the port and its tenants employ nearly 20 percent of the entire parish. 
• The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is ranked 8th in total tonnage nationally and 65th in the world and handles a diverse range of essential commodities including asphalt, coal, coffee, forest products, biomass, chemicals, oats, pipes, steel and sugar. 

The port partners work closely with state and federal agencies on cyber-related efforts. In 2022, the Port of New Orleans was awarded $514,964 in Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to upgrade technology at the Harbor Police Department鈥檚 Maritime Security Operations Center, which provides surveillance and communications equipment necessary for operational coordination and critical information-sharing with the U.S. Coast Guard and other public safety agencies. 海角社区 and the ports will collaborate on future related cybersecurity funding initiatives. 

In 2022, 海角社区 was only the 22nd university nationally to be named a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations by the NSA. Federal partners of the NSA National Centers of Academic Excellence program include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer and U.S. Cyber Command.