St. Mary Parish is located in the mid-southern part of Louisiana along the Gulf of Mexico. The parish (county) area is 691 square miles and contains 660 miles of inland navigable waterways, making it very attractive to shipping, fabrication and fishing industries.

The parish (county) is located along U. S. Highway 90 (Future I-49) between the major metropolitan areas of New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana. The state capital in Baton Rouge is within a 1½ hour drive (map of Southern Louisiana). There are more than two million residents in this region.

Over the years, St. Mary Parish has diversified from an agricultural base (sugar cane, fishing, shrimping,…), to a mix of agriculture and industry. Industrial segments include mineral extraction (oil/gas) and support industries, to leaders in shipbuilding, underwater services and metal fabrication. The State of Louisiana and St. Mary boast of the most productive workers in the world.