Port of Gulfport Aims to Foster More Overseas Trade
Within the next couple of years, we could begin to see more produce moving through the Port of Gulfport as they build additional trade relationships overseas. And despite rumors, the port is taking steps toward deepening the channel.
Port of Gulfport CEO Jonathan Daniels just got back from Peru and Columbia, South America. Officials have been busy building international relationships aiming to foster more opportunities for oversea trades. “What they’re looking at right now with the timing, with a change in global shipping patterns and especially with the Panama Canal getting ready to open up in the next few years. Carriers and shipping lives, they’re looking at alternatives,” said Daniels.
This would create opportunities for future tenants and, in turn, more jobs for the Coast. Port tenant McDermott will begin construction of its new facility within the next 30 days. “What it means is ultimately, they’re going to be in the hiring mode, they’re going to be in the construction mode,” said Daniels.
Word about the port recently broke out saying that they’ve scrapped plans to go deeper with the channel. Port officials want to clear the air, saying that’s not true.
Daniels said, “We have not stopped the dredging process, we have not stopped the evaluation process, we just moved it out of its existing EIS program. And we’re continuing with that modeling as we speak.”
But, the Steps Coalition remains skeptical about the port’s progress. Howard Page said, “And if the port is really attempting to deepen their channel, they should go to the Corps of Engineers and put in a formal request to have their channel deepened. This has already been tried and it’s already been withdrawn a number of times, basically because the Corps of Engineers say that there’s not the proper cost benefit analysis.”
The port says getting approval to deepen the channel is a challenging process that requires patience. “The only thing we can guarantee right now is 36 feet. So, all of our business development as of today is based on the 36 foot channel. We are not going to guarantee shippers or carriers anything more than that because we don’t know either the length of the process, how long that’s going to take or ultimately what the draft is going to be.”
Port of Gulfport CEO Jonathan Daniels just got back from Peru and Columbia, South America. Officials have been busy building international relationships aiming to foster more opportunities for oversea trades. “What they’re looking at right now with the timing, with a change in global shipping patterns and especially with the Panama Canal getting ready to open up in the next few years. Carriers and shipping lives, they’re looking at alternatives,” said Daniels.
This would create opportunities for future tenants and, in turn, more jobs for the Coast. Port tenant McDermott will begin construction of its new facility within the next 30 days. “What it means is ultimately, they’re going to be in the hiring mode, they’re going to be in the construction mode,” said Daniels.
Word about the port recently broke out saying that they’ve scrapped plans to go deeper with the channel. Port officials want to clear the air, saying that’s not true.
Daniels said, “We have not stopped the dredging process, we have not stopped the evaluation process, we just moved it out of its existing EIS program. And we’re continuing with that modeling as we speak.”
But, the Steps Coalition remains skeptical about the port’s progress. Howard Page said, “And if the port is really attempting to deepen their channel, they should go to the Corps of Engineers and put in a formal request to have their channel deepened. This has already been tried and it’s already been withdrawn a number of times, basically because the Corps of Engineers say that there’s not the proper cost benefit analysis.”
The port says getting approval to deepen the channel is a challenging process that requires patience. “The only thing we can guarantee right now is 36 feet. So, all of our business development as of today is based on the 36 foot channel. We are not going to guarantee shippers or carriers anything more than that because we don’t know either the length of the process, how long that’s going to take or ultimately what the draft is going to be.”
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