The Port consists of ten berths ranging from 525 to 750 feet in length. All berths at the Port of Gulfport are multi-use, multi-purpose, but are primarily assigned as follows: two container berths, two break bulk/frozen, one breakbulk refrigerated cargo berth, five general cargo berths suitable for breakbulk, project cargo, and ships- gear container operations.   RO/RO vessels dock on the south end of West Pier on a specialized ramp built for such purposes.

The multi purpose Pier 7 is a rail served, 1,000 lbs. per square foot capable, heavy lift pier designed to handle the heaviest of project cargoes.   Pier 7 was delivered for service in January of 2003.

The Port of Gulfport continues to make significant progress in the implementation of its capital improvement program which is valued at over $200 million.  Within the last 24 months the Port completed and took operational possession of a new $15 million pier extension on the West Pier. Construction has progressed well on a sixty acre landfill expansion and development project also on the West Pier.  The new sixty acre site will be used to expand and enhance container handling capabilities. Several other major rehabilitation projects were either initiated or completed during 2004 including a painting and restoration project to the bulk materials handling facility and various repairs to road and rail systems.  The design has been completed and work should start early this next year on a $15 - $20 million wharf rehabilitation project.  Work also continued on the construction of a new roll-on roll-off dock facility.  Construction was completed on an elevated bridge structure at Graveline Bayou in Jackson County in July 2004.  This particular project served as a major environmental mitigation effort necessitated by our authorization of the Port’s landfill expansion project.

In December of 2004, the Port received regulatory approval to dredge approximately 1,500,000 cubic yards of material from the south end of the west pier.  This much anticipated project will provide for full utilization of the recently constructed pier extension as well as provide ship access to the new RO-RO dock.  A portion of the dredged material will be beneficially used in construction of the 60 acre expansion program.  The Port Authority has also submitted application request for a 24 acre expansion to the immediate south end of the east pier.  This construction area will be used for warehousing and covered storage expansion.

The Federally authorized feasibility study for a channel widening and deepening project continued through the past year.  The four year $4,000,000.00 study is currently nearing fifty percent completion.  The Port continues to coordinate with the Mississippi Department of Transportation on the design and construction of new major highway linking the Port with Interstate 10.