MOBILE, Ala. – 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 on June 23, which represents the completion of the study and makes it eligible for congressional authorization.
"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, USACE Mobile District commander. "Our team recognized the urgency of this project and worked diligently to bring this crucial phase to the finish line."
The three-year study, which began in April 2023 with the signing of the Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement between USACE Mobile District and the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport, Mississippi, the non-federal sponsor, was designed to improve navigation into and out of the Port at Gulfport Harbor for deep draft vessels for current and future needs.
"The overall benefits that will come to fruition from this study are monumental," Col. 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 Chief's Report recommends deepening and widening the Anchorage Basin, the North and South Sound Channels, the Bar Channel, and the Bar Channel Extension, constructing a new Sediment Basin, and modifying and constructing the Bend Easings.
The Chief's Report will be submitted to the congressional authorizing committees for transmittal to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and the Office of Management and Budget for administration review. Subject to the availability of Federal appropriations and the non-Federal sponsor's cost-share match, Preconstruction Engineering and Design activities would then be initiated.
The Gulfport Harbor Chief's Report and the Final Integrated Feasibility Report with Environmental Assessment are available at the following location:
https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Environmental/Environment-Resources/Inland-Environment/Gulfport-Harbor-Mississippi-Feasibility-Study/