Economic development staff presents Portsmouth Vision 2030 plan with focus on shipbuilding, workforce and digital infrastructure

Portsmouth economic development staff presented an executive summary of the Vision 2030 strategic plan to the Port and Industrial Commission on Jan. 27, framing it as a five‑year playbook to accelerate local economic growth, create jobs and improve residents’ quality of life.

Presenter John Martin said the plan was developed over six months with input from department leaders and comparative data from peer regions. He highlighted four strategic pillars: double down on advanced manufacturing (shipbuilding and ship repair); deliver on three waterfront catalyst projects (the Waterfront development, Innovation District called Linked and an Entertainment District); identify and accelerate growth sectors starting with health care; and leverage regional technology and digital infrastructure, including AI and edge data centers.

Martin and staff emphasized workforce development as central to the plan. They presented data showing shipbuilding and repair as a dominant industry for Portsmouth with a high location quotient (presented as 6.48) and noted projected workforce demand requiring thousands of new workers over the coming decade. Commissioners and staff discussed stronger engagement with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Old Dominion University and local community colleges to align curricula, and building roundtables of CEOs and anchor employers to coordinate recruitment and training.

The presentation also called for measurable KPIs, a public dashboard, and a tactical matrix of immediate, near‑term and long‑term actions. Commissioners pressed for specific assignments, timelines and participation in regional workforce efforts; staff said the plan includes step‑by‑step implementation guidance and that the full 100‑page plan and the presentation would be emailed to commissioners.