St. Bernard Port FSO named InfraGard chairman

Photo provided by St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District The St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District’s Facility Security Officer, Eric Acosta, has been named the 2017-18 Chairman of the InfraGard Louisiana Membership.

The St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District’s Facility Security Officer, Eric Acosta, has been named the 2017-18 Chairman of the InfraGard Louisiana Membership. In this new role, Acosta will lead the Board to facilitate information sharing and intelligence between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local critical infrastructure organizations such as ports, refineries and banks to aid in the prevention of hostile acts against the United States.

As St. Bernard Port’s Facility Security Officer, or FSO, Acosta ensures federal guidelines set in place since 9/11 are being met in order to secure the port, which every year handles millions of tons of bulk, break-bulk and general cargo transfers, to and from thousands of barges and hundreds of cargo ships from around the world. The St. Bernard Port’s maritime facilities include Arabi, Chalmette and Violet Terminals/Industrial Parks, as well as Chalmette and Meraux Mid-Stream Mooring Facilities.

The Port, along with its tenants and users of its facilities, produce an estimated $325 million in direct and indirect spending annually for the local economy, and create more than 2,000 full-time jobs.

Acosta, who has been an employee of the St. Bernard Port for the past 13 years, is in his second term as a member of the InfraGard’s Board of Directors. He is a lifelong resident of St. Bernard Parish and has served as Commander of the Maritime Security Operations Center for Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes for more than 12 years. Acosta has worked with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for more than 11 years, and has served as a Vice Chairman of the Area Maritime Security Committee, Sector New Orleans with the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We are fortunate to have such an accomplished employee heading our Port’s Security Department,” said Robert Scafidel, Port Executive Director.

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