Mississippi air cargo CEO sees Gulf port boom with canal expansion

MISSISSIPI ports of Biloxi and Gulfport are looking to a larger share of cargo going from the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014 as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, reports the South Mississippi Sun Herald.

"The opportunities on this coast are endless," said Gulf Coast International Cargo president Mike Aliseen, who runs air cargo facility at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

As he sees it, government funding after the hurricane, financed infrastructure that made the Gulf ports competitive in light of the Panama Canal expansion which will double the waterway's capacity.

The new air cargo facility is four times larger than the original with 6,096 square metres of chiller space, 6,096 square metres of dry cargo space and 1,829 square metres of office space.

Mr Alise said without state and federal funds after Katrina, it's unlikely a facility that size could be built. He leases the space from the airport authority and transports cargo between Gulfport and South America.

Mr Alise points to the US$1 billion expansion planned at the Port of Gulfport which puts the coast in prime position to compete when the expansion of the Panama Canal is completed.

The proximity of the Port of Gulfport to the airport cargo centre and Interstate 10 are key to the expansion of trade, he said. The rail line adjacent to the port will be improved to Hattiesburg and a new connector road will be built to I-10, making transport better.

Mr Alise imports Panama Blue spring water from the rain forest in Panama and distributes it to all 50 states, and plans to add more perishables to his exports and imports, including salmon from Santiago, Chile, and flowers.

Other ports and airports along the coast also expect a bigger share after the canal expansion, with Gulfport's advantage being it is only a mile from a shipping channel big ships can use to unload cargo before calling at other ports.

Last year Gulfport was ranked the 22nd busiest in the country by Zepol, which tracks the amount of cargo into ports nationwide, reported the Sun Herald. It was the largest banana port in North America, handling 344 million pounds valued at $133 million, along with nearly $300 million in clothing.

(Source: China Daily)