If Berth 5 was the mark, the Port of Port Arthur missed it by a couple of city blocks Tuesday. But that’s a good thing.

Operations were so brisk at the port Tuesday that groundbreaking ceremonies for the new berth — it’s well into development — had to be transferred to the Seafarers’ Center, friendly and familiar ground, instead. A busy port is good news. Ceremony organizers even brought some sand to the alternate site, giving groundbreaking participants something low resistant in which to sink their shovels. That was thoughtful and likely appreciated.

Wind was brisk, too — what are good speeches without a little wind? — but the sun was bright. It was a nice event for about 100 people who gathered in and around the tent on the Seafarers’ Center lawn, more so for those who hung around for gumbo later.

It was a better day still for Port Arthur.

That’s because the port’s success is everyone’s success. Port commissioners knew that as they talked about construction and funding and cost but — this is most important for Port Arthur people — jobs.

“The port has to grow for the plants to grow,” said contractor Travis Woods. For the plants to grow means Port Arthur will grow, at least in success. Growth means jobs. More than one port official noted a 30 percent increase in dock hours worked.

Benjamin Green of the International Longshoremen’s Association said Berth 5 will bring more and bigger ships to the Port of Port Arthur, which means more laborers will be needed to load and unload them.

“The port is taking off,” said Rocky Hebert of Local 440.

Port Director Larry Kelley said that Berth 6 will be close on the heels of Berth 5’s completion, as the port prepares for a new world, one that includes liquefied natural gas and petrochemicals and a host of products that were on display at the Seafarers’ Center on Tuesday morning: diesel and aluminum, liner board and pellets and pulp. Berth 5 means there will be more products coming. Success breeds success.

The progress and the promise of more progress means Port Arthur was smart to pass bond support to increase the port’s capacity. Land for expansion came via the Kansas City Southern — Arthur Stilwell’s influence, still — and there is land for more growth to come, even beyond the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge, which a completed Berth 6 will approach someday.

Raymond Johnson, longtime port commissioner, described the port facility as “flexible,” agile as new products come and go. That’s important: Who knew 10 years ago Port Arthur and environs would be exporting LNG?

Tuesday was a good day for Port Arthur.

There will be more good days to come.