For more than 100 years, mid-America has relied on the Port of Gulfport for rapid transport and delivery of millions of tons  of cargo  that have made their way through this extremely efficient and diverse port.

The Port was established in 1902 as a deep water port. Access to the Port is provided by a short, 16 mile shipping channel which extends northward from vessel anchorage just south of Ship Island. All piers are public, however, most facilities are operated through leases, operating agreements or space assignment agreements with private operators or users.

The port moves nearly 2 million tons of cargo annually, including such diverse products as tropical fruit, ilmenite ore, aluminum, steel, paper, forest products and heavy lift cargoes. Gulfport is ranked as the 3rd busiest container port on the Gulf of Mexico and 17th in the United States.

The Port of Gulfport is strategically positioned on the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Intracoastal waterways lies 5 miles offshore from the port and crosses the port shipping channel. Interstate 10 is seven miles north of the port of Gulfport, for this reason trucks can easily distribute the products to 75% of the U.S. markets within 24 hours

Business Overview

The Mississippi State Port Authority is an Enterprise Agency of the State of Mississippi and is governed by the Mississippi State Port Authority Board of Port Commissioners.

The State Port’s five-member board represents a cross-section of Harrison County and the City of Gulfport and are appointed to staggered, five-year terms. Three members are appointed by the Governor, one by the Harrison County Board of Supervisors, and one by the City of Gulfport.

As an Enterprise Agency of the State, the Port Authority receives no annual general fund allocation from the Mississippi Legislature. Instead, it operates much like a private business in that it must plan and set its budgets based upon projected and actual revenues.