Gary LaGrange Quotations

The outcome is not good. Yesterday, I thought the damage could have been worse; but today, I'm not so sure.

We're starting to get back to work today.

New Orleans blossomed into one of the most popular points of embarkation for cruise ship customers and was on pace to break the 1 million-passenger mark. The cruise industry evolved into a major economic engine for the entire city, generating $226 million in direct and indirect sales annually. NCL is a vital part of that success and I commend them for their support and commitment to the rebuilding of a greater New Orleans.

From a commercial and psychological standpoint, this is five stars. This shows the people of New Orleans their city is back in business.

I would say that France Road and Jourdan Road are close to being a total loss.

Our guess is around 100 units and that most were empties. One container had fallen from the stack onto the train adjacent to the facility. A small number of containers on the ground were in approximately 2 feet of water and any cargoes inside would be effected.

It all came out as kind of a joke when someone told me, 'You won't have a ship in this port for six months. My response, with a lot of bravado, was we'll be back at 70 percent within six months.

The arrival of the Delphin Renaissance marks the first step in the recovery of the cruise industry in New Orleans.

We must wait now for sounding to be performed by the pilot's organizations and the Army Corp of Engineers.

Truck drivers were hard to find before. That's a very vulnerable area now. Without trucks there are no ships. Without ships there are no jobs.

We wouldn't turn it down. But we haven't been standing there with our hand out.

The Port of New Orleans' riverfront terminals survived Hurricane Katrina in fairly decent shape. Although they are damaged, they are still workable once electrical power and manpower is available.

As the ship calls increase, the truck calls will have to increase proportionately.

The transit sheds incurred damage, but could be used while we make repairs.

That 18-month (Army Corps) study will cause those nine companies to relocate to other states, other ports. We cannot afford to lose one job.

Thirty percent of the port is no longer in existence as we knew it Aug. 28.

There's always that possibility, but I thought there was that possibility before Katrina. Competition is not a new wrinkle. Katrina simply escalated it.

It's a historical moment. Two weeks ago the prognosis was six months, so to pull it off so our customers have enough faith and confidence in us is very heartwarming.

In the next several weeks, almost all of the Port of New Orleans will be dedicated to military relief vessels.

The downriver terminals are still flooded and in the upriver terminals we are clearing the debris -- boxes and cargoes strewn about by the wind.

The cruise industry evolved into a major economic engine for the entire city, generating $226 million in direct and indirect sales annually. NCL is a vital part of that success and I commend them for their support and commitment to the rebuilding of a greater New Orleans.

The day after the storm, everybody was telling us it would take six months to start up again.