Gulfport Harbor Study Advances To Congressional Review
Lt. Gen. William H. Graham, 56th chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, signed the Gulfport Harbor Navigation Study Chief’s Report June 23, completing the study and making the proposed project eligible for congressional authorization.
The three-year study began in April 2023, when the Corps’ Mobile District and the Mississippi State Port Authority, the project’s non-federal sponsor, signed a feasibility cost-sharing agreement.
The study evaluated improvements intended to accommodate current and future deep-draft vessel traffic entering and leaving the Port of Gulfport.
“Delivering this comprehensive study ahead of schedule is a direct reflection of the tireless dedication and seamless teamwork between Mobile District personnel and our outstanding partners at the Mississippi State Port Authority,” said Col. Kelcey Shaw, Mobile District commander. “Our team recognized the urgency of this project and worked diligently to bring this crucial phase to the finish line.”
The Chief’s Report recommends deepening and widening the Anchorage Basin, the North and South Sound channels, the Bar Channel and the Bar Channel Extension. It also recommends construction of a new sediment basin and modifications and construction related to the channel’s bend easings.
“The overall benefits that will come to fruition from this study are monumental,” Shaw said. “By optimizing this vital waterway, we are paving the way for safer, more efficient deep-draft navigation that will drive substantial economic growth, job creation and supply chain resilience for the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the nation.”
The report will be submitted to the congressional authorizing committees and transmitted to the assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works and the Office of Management and Budget for administration review.
Subject to congressional authorization, federal appropriations and the Mississippi State Port Authority’s required cost-share contribution, the project could then advance into preconstruction engineering and design.
The Chief’s Report and Final Integrated Feasibility Report with Environmental Assessment are available through the Mobile District’s Gulfport Harbor feasibility study webpage at https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Environmental/Environment-Resources/Inland-Environment/Gulfport-Harbor-Mississippi-Feasibility-Study/.
