About The New Orleans Board of Trade

The New Orleans Board of Trade has a history of service dating back to 1880. It was founded as a non-profit membership organization comprised of key leaders in the business community. The New Orleans Board of Trade, over the course of its history, would be deemed the foremost authority on the Mississippi River involving commodity commerce.

The New Orleans Board of Trade also offers its services to the maritime industry in settling disputes through its Society of Maritime Arbitrators. In fact, the New Orleans Board of Trade is the only local organization so recognized. The Society’s roster is comprised of members of the New Orleans Board of Trade with many years of experience in all facets of maritime endeavors. These arbitrators have been trained in arbitration law and procedures, and have been certified by the Board of Trade for its members who are willing and qualified to offer their experience and expertise to the maritime industry.

The New Orleans Board of Trade operates a Marine Exchange for vessels transiting the Mississippi River. In this capacity, the organization employs Louisiana citizens to track all vessels entering and departing the Mississippi River. The organization also maintains records on all ship arrivals with statistics dating back to 1961.

The New Orleans Board of Trade was actively involved with the creation of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and was one of the four original nominating organizations.

The New Orleans Board of Trade is the secretariat for the Orleans Parish Nominating Organizations. In this capacity, we disseminate correspondence concerning the process, ensure all nominating organizations provide nominations in accordance with the regulations, schedule the selection meeting, ensure the voting process follows the rules set by the nominating organizations, and keep a record of all nominations for Orleans Parish Seats.