The Natchitoches Parish Port's North Port Tract is a 360 acre certified site owned by the Natchitoches Parish Port Commission. Certified by McCallum Sweeney Consulting, the North Port Tract is part of Central Louisiana Electric Company’s (CLECO) SmartSites program. It is located between Louisiana Highway 486 and U. S. Highway 71/Kansas City Southern Railroad.
With the port’s dock facilities being readily accessible, the property is a true multimodal site. The Natchitoches Port's North Port Tract can be easily subdivided and is available for lease. This site is currently zoned 1-2, Heavy Industrial and the utility infrastructure has been mapped. In 2008, the Port had a wood basket study performed by the LSU Ag Center and determined there were over 2.1 million tons of renewable woody biomass available on an annual basis within 75 miles of the site.
In addition to incentives offered to qualifying companies through Louisiana Economic Development, the Natchitoches Port can access funding through Louisiana's Port Construction and Development Priority Program, if the company can move product by water. The Port can also tap funds from the Red River Waterway Commission to build additional infrastructure. Assistance is available to obtain funds and incentives from other state and federal sources.