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Port of Gulfport stresses self-funded growth, cites $3.8 billion regional economic impact
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Summary
John Nash of the Mississippi State Port Authority told the appropriations committee the Port of Gulfport is not seeking general fund support and highlighted a $3.8 billion regional economic impact, private investments (Ports America lease and a $20 million crane), growth in refrigerated poultry exports and planned cruise calls.
John Nash of the Mississippi State Port Authority told the Appropriations Committee that the port is operating as an enterprise agency and is not requesting state general fund support for FY27. "We raise all our own revenue, and support our operational costs," Nash said, adding the authority does occasionally receive state grants.
Nash said a recent study put the port's regional economic impact at $3,800,000,000 and estimated state and local tax contributions at about $62,000,000. He gave employment figures of roughly 3,600 on-terminal employees and another 5,300 indirect jobs tied to port activity.
Nash highlighted recent private-sector investment tied to a lease with Ports America that requires the company to invest about $43,000,000 and noted receipt of a fourth gantry crane, a $20,000,000 investment that allows the port to work two vessels at full utilization. "Private sector investment ... really cements having that partner here, working with us to grow the port and grow jobs," he said.
The director emphasized growth in refrigerated cargo and efforts to repatriate Mississippi poultry cargo that previously moved through competing ports. Nash said the port moved about 1,000 containers of Mississippi poultry this year and is pursuing a local 100,000-square-foot freezer warehouse with a private partner to anchor that business.
He also pointed to diversification beyond traditional freight: American Cruise Lines will call on Gulfport for multiple stops this year, bringing luxury passengers who are expected to overnight locally, and NOAA operates autonomous-vessel work from the Roger F. Wicker Center located at the terminal.
On a question about travel budgets from Senator Seymour—actual travel last year was about $35,000 while the FY27 request shows a larger figure—Nash said the higher line item provides flexibility to respond to business opportunities. "We're tight with our money, and if we're not gonna get a return on investment on a trip, we're probably not gonna do it," he said.
Nash said the port's FY27 request totals $78,497,468, a slight decrease from the prior year, and noted the agency uses a capital-investment "menu" (a multiyear CIP) that sums potential projects optimistically but does not mean all items will be funded in a single year.
The committee closed the port segment after members asked about salary changes (a $29,006.77 FY27 increase tied to PERS and health-insurance costs) and logistical issues such as railroad merger impacts and OTE capital-outlay estimates. The port will make its five-year strategic plan available to members.
