Passenger Service
You would think that there would be some kind of passenger boat service on the Mississippi river (as a tourist novelty if nothing else), but there doesn't seem to be anything.
The operator of Mississippi River Cruises is defunct, which is too bad because before they stopped service, they provided Gentlemen Hosts, age 40 to 70, for women traveling alone.
There is physical evidence of big-time passenger service in the 1980's, judging by the aesthetic styling of the major infrastructure. A giant 5-story loading structure is located on the Mississippi, just north of the [USS Kidd], across the street from the River Center. It's a nice place to watch the sunset and passing barges. It has passenger loading facilities on three levels for medium to very large boats, but only the top level is accessible from the land side- the others are locked. There is even a spiral ramp all the way down to the river. Too bad it's closed- there are few places in town where one could actually touch 'the wide Miss'ippi". 
Recreational
Freight
There is lots of barge traffic on the Mississippi river and allegedly on the Intracoastal Waterway.
There is a Port of Greater Baton Rouge.
