Page 44 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2020

BUSINESS&INDUSTRY
The economy is always changing, whether it be local, national, or blue.
On the Gulf Coast, the Port of Gulfport plays a large part in the advancement
of Mississippi’s blue economy, as well as the local and national economy. With its prime location on the Gulf of Mexico and easy access to State Highway 49 and US Interstate 49, distribution trucks can readily load up and deliver imports across the country.
“Trucks can easily distribute products
to 75 percent of the country within 24 hours,” says COO and Deputy Director of the Port of Gulfport Matthew Wypyski. “The Port is essentially a 24/7 operation,
with a very e ective workforce available to work day or night depending on the needs of our customers.”
While the Port of Gulfport is commonly known as one that imports bananas,
it does much more than that. Imports include a variety of items, including: construction supplies, electrical equipment, automobiles, paper, apparel, and even ilmenite ore (which is used as
a whitening pigment in toothpaste and paint). With so many imports and such
a wide assortment of products, it is no surprise that getting them where they need to be is of such importance to the port.
“The Port of Gulfport is essentially
an economic development agency with transportation at the core of what we
do on a daily basis,” explains Wypyski. “Throughout the years we have created a mix of industries present at the port that feature tourism, education, manufacturing and cargo operations.”
As the Port has grown over the years, so has its impact on the Gulf Coast. The Port of Gulfport is now nearly 300 acres and, as Kimberly Aguillard, media and marketing manager of the Port states, “The port has invested in properties outside of the main deepwater port to assist in the overall strategy to increase throughput opportunities.”
44 | July 2020
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