KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Paul Matthews resigns as executive director, effective immediately
- Oversaw $1.5 billion in capital investments and port growth
- Brian Cox named interim director during national search
- Port continues shift toward renewable and sustainable infrastructure
Paul Matthews has stepped down as executive director of the Port of South Louisiana, ending a nearly three-year tenure marked by major growth and strategic development. The resignation, announced August 6, is effective immediately.
Matthews, who assumed the role in January 2022, is leaving to pursue new professional opportunities, according to a news release. During his leadership, the port reversed a seven-year decline in cargo tonnage, secured major state and federal funding, and launched more than $1.5 billion in capital investments, including projects aimed at expanding renewable energy infrastructure.
Under his administration, the port reported back-to-back years of increased cargo throughput and revenue, and renewed long-term leases with key industrial tenants—moves that Port officials say enhanced its global competitiveness.
“Paul Matthews brought energy and results to the Port of South Louisiana,” said Commission Chairman Joey Murray in a statement. “He elevated our global competitiveness and positioned us for long-term success. We thank him for his service and wish him the very best in his next chapter.”
Deputy Port Director Brian Cox will serve as interim executive director while the commission conducts a national search for Matthews’ permanent replacement. Cox, a 25-year veteran in maritime operations and infrastructure development, joined the port’s executive team in 2017 and has been instrumental in executing its recent strategic initiatives.
The transition comes as the Port continues to invest heavily in infrastructure upgrades and diversify its offerings to include more renewable and sustainable energy projects—part of a broader effort to modernize its facilities and maintain its standing in global trade.
Founded in 1960, the Port of South Louisiana is the largest port in the state and the second largest by tonnage in the Western Hemisphere. The 54-mile district along the Mississippi River spans St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes. It is the top grain exporter in the United States and ranks second in energy transfer volume, serving as a key logistics hub for agriculture, oil, petrochemicals, and increasingly, clean energy.
In December 2021, its board of commissioners selected Paul Matthews, former deputy director of the Port of Plaquemines, as its new executive director. Matthews replaced Paul Aucoin, who led the Port of South Louisiana for more than eight years. Aucoin died in 2024. In 2023, the Port of South Louisiana unveiled its new headquarters.
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