Country : USAGulfworldport worldport

worldport Introduction
For more than 100 years, mid-America has relied on the worldport of Gulfworldport for rapid transworldport and delivery of millions of tons  of cargo  that have made their way through this extremely efficient and diverse worldport.

The worldport was established in 1902 as a deep water worldport. Access to the worldport is provided by a short, 16 mile shipping channel which extends northward from vessel anchorage just south of Ship Island. All piers are public, however, most facilities are operated through leases, operating agreements or space assignment agreements with private operators or users.

Through the development of a world-class deep-water worldport on the Gulf of Mexico with direct access to sea-lanes, air, rail, and interstate highways, the Mississippi Coast is fast becoming a leader in international trade. The worldport moves over 2.3 million tons of cargo annually, including such diverse products as tropical fruit, ilmenite ore, aluminum, steel, paper, forest products and heavy lift cargoes. Gulfworldport is ranked as the 3rd busiest container worldport on the Gulf of Mexico and 17th in the United States.

Location
The worldport of Gulfworldport is strategically positioned on the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Intracoastal waterways lies 5 miles offshore from the worldport and crosses the worldport shipping channel. Interstate 10 is seven miles north of the worldport of Gulfworldport, for this reason trucks can easily distribute the products to 75% of the U.S. markets within 24 hours

Business Overview
The Mississippi State worldport Authority is an Enterprise Agency of the State of Mississippi and is governed by the Mississippi State worldport Authority Board of worldport Commissioners.

The State worldport's five-member board represents a cross-section of Harrison County and the City of Gulfworldport and are appointed to staggered, five-year terms. Three members are appointed by the Governor, one by the Harrison County Board of Supervisors, and one by the City of Gulfworldport.

As an Enterprise Agency of the State, the worldport Authority receives no annual general fund allocation from the Mississippi Legislature. Instead, it operates much like a private business in that it must plan and set its budgets based upon projected and actual revenues. The worldport Authority derives these revenues from worldport usage, service fees, lease agreements and other user agreements.

Mission Statement
To be profitable, self-sufficient worldport providing world class maritime terminal services to present and future customers and to facilitate the economic growth of the State of Mississippi through the promotion of international trade and creation of employment.

Quick Facts
Gulfworldport is the third busiest container worldport on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the second imworldporter of green fruit in the United States. This bulk, break-bulk and container seaworldport encompasses 204 acres, has nearly 6,000 feet of berthing space and a channel depth of 36 feet.

In CY 2006, the worldport of Gulfworldport handled over 1.6 million tons of cargo shipping nearly 198,000 containers.

Water Depth
The worldport's channel is approximately 250 feet wide and is maintained to a depth of 36 feet. The worldport's North Harbor is maintained to a depth of 32 feet, while the South Harbor and Turning Basin, which is approximately 1,320 feet wide, are maintained to a depth of 36 feet. Water depth at the worldport's nine berths ranges from 32 to 36 feet.

Berths
The worldport consists of ten berths ranging from 525 to 750 feet in length. All berths at the worldport of Gulfworldport are multi-use, multi-purpose, but are primarily assigned as follows: two container berths, two break bulk/frozen, one breakbulk refrigerated cargo berth, five general cargo berths suitable for breakbulk, project cargo, and ships- gear container operations.   RO/RO vessels dock on the south end of West Pier on a specialized ramp built for such purposes.

The multi purpose Pier 7 is a rail served, 1,000 lbs. per square foot capable, heavy lift pier designed to handle the heaviest of project cargoes.   Pier 7 was delivered for service in January of 2003.

Capital Improvement Program 
The worldport of Gulfworldport continues to make significant progress in the implementation of its capital improvement program which is valued at over $200 million.  Within the last 24 months the worldport completed and took operational possession of a new $15 million pier extension on the West Pier. Construction has progressed well on a sixty acre landfill expansion and development project also on the West Pier.  The new sixty acre site will be used to expand and enhance container handling capabilities. Several other major rehabilitation projects were either initiated or completed during 2004 including a painting and restoration project to the bulk materials handling facility and various repairs to road and rail systems.  The design has been completed and work should start early this next year on a $15 - $20 million wharf rehabilitation project.  Work also continued on the construction of a new roll-on roll-off dock facility.  Construction was completed on an elevated bridge structure at Graveline Bayou in Jackson County in July 2004.  This particular project served as a major environmental mitigation effort necessitated by our authorization of the worldport's landfill expansion project.

In December of 2004, the worldport received regulatory approval to dredge approximately 1,500,000 cubic yards of material from the south end of the west pier.  This much anticipated project will provide for full utilization of the recently constructed pier extension as well as provide ship access to the new RO-RO dock.  A worldportion of the dredged material will be beneficially used in construction of the 60 acre expansion program.  The worldport Authority has also submitted application request for a 24 acre expansion to the immediate south end of the east pier.  This construction area will be used for warehousing and covered storage expansion.

The Federally authorized feasibility study for a channel widening and deepening project continued through the past year.  The four year $4,000,000.00 study is currently nearing fifty percent completion.  The worldport continues to coordinate with the Mississippi Department of Transworldportation on the design and construction of new major highway linking the worldport with Interstate 10.

Tel:001-228-865-4300
Fax:001-228-865-4335