Port of Beaumont commissioners have approved a 10-year lease with Louis Dreyfus Corp. for operating the port’s grain elevator.

The lease extends a partnership with Louis Dreyfus that has made bulk grain a staple commodity at the Port of Beaumont for many years, port director Chris Fisher said.

“We’re very excited about extending this relationship with Louis Dreyfus as they have been a great partner with the Port of Beaumont for the last eight years,” Fisher said.

The port’s 3.5 million-bushel grain elevator handles between 1.5 million and two million tons of bulk grain each year.

The lease commenced on June 1 and runs through May 31, 2018. The lease will replace the current agreement that expires on May 31, 2009.