Next Generation Marine, a marine startup, said it will open its headquarters this month in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
The headquarters will serve as a central hub for Next Generation’s marine operations. The company christened two of its newest vessels at the Port of New Orleans on Thursday night.
Next Generation said it aims to become the marine-transportation industry’s service company of choice.
“The marine industry is booming in the metro area, and we are confident that our business will thrive here,” Next Generation CEO Capt. Eddie Compass IV said in a statement. “Contributing to the marine industry here in New Orleans is something I’ve always dreamed about, and now we have the opportunity to do it.”
Next Generation Marine said it is one of only two African American-owned marine transportation companies in the country to own and operate its fleet of vessels. The company was founded in 2015 by Eddie Compass IV and Julien Chouest II.
“The marine and maritime industry is such a vital part of Louisiana’s economy, and like most industries it has been vastly underrepresented by people of color,” said U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La.
Compass, a New Orleans native, has worked for more than 10 years in the marine and maritime industry. He has traveled around the world, logging time in countries that include Chile, Peru, Ireland Angola and Trinidad. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marine transportation from the Texas A&M Maritime Academy.
