Army Corps of Engineers

Amount Appropriated?

$200,000

FFID tracks stages 1–2 — stages 3–5 vary by agency, assistance type, and earmark structure.

Project Description

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Government invested $561 Million to rebuild and expand the Port of Gulfport. However, even with the supply chain challenges the country currently faces, the Port of Gulfport remains woefully underutilized because of the limited depth of the Federal Navigation Channel. Vessels cannot divert to Gulfport because they cannot get into the Port of Gulfport and only small cargo ships may use the facility. Many of the vessels that do call the Port of Gulfport must unload cargo at other ports to reduce draft before entering the Port of Gulfport. In order to get a return on the substantial federal investment that was made, a deeper channel is necessary. \nThe Port of Gulfport is one of 17 Strategic Seaports in the United States. A deeper and wider channel into Gulfport would enhance national security by expanding the size and number of military vessels that can utilize the port. Recently, a Bob Hope class military vessel was diverted due to weather and contacted the Port of Gulfport seeking safe harbor. The Port of Gulfport had to turn it away because of the lack of channel depth.\nThe Port of Gulfport is just 5 miles from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and only 18 miles from the shipping lanes, making a prime location for international trade. Average vessel size to the Gulf of Mexico is 6,300 TEU and continues to increase. Maximum vessel size for Gulfport is 2,602 TEU at current authorized depth. Comparison demand forecasts for Gulfport show container volume at 465,316 TEU/year by 2050 without deepening, as compared to 217,000 TEU in 2017. With a deepened channel, demand forecasts show container volume at 1,002,616 TEU/year by 2050, more than double than the forecast without a deeper channel. \nDeepening the channel would create greater efficiency and lowered transport costs which lead to improved national economy, safer transportation, less environmental impact and improved national security.