Gulfport, Mississippi – The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration has awarded the Port of Gulfport $11.25 million in grant funds from the 2025 Port Infrastructure Development Program. The award will fund a $24.5 million project that strengthens the Port’s role in national defense, supports intermodal and container growth and reinforces resilience of critical infrastructure.
“This award and project are the direct result of a true public-private partnership,” said Jon Nass, CEO and executive director of the Port. “With our stevedore Ports America contributing $9.5 million in private funding, MDOT contributing $2.6 million through a Strategic Multi-Modal Investment Fund grant and the $11.25 million PIDP award, we turned just over $1.2 million in Port funding into more than $24.5 million in infrastructure improvements that strengthen our role as a Strategic Seaport, expand our intermodal capacity and improve resilience for the Gulf Coast supply chain.”
“The Port of Gulfport is a key American Strategic Seaport and a vital piece of our national security infrastructure,” said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “These improvements will strengthen the Port’s defense mission and increase its commercial operations capacity. Gulfport remains crucial in improving U.S. national security, increasing opportunities for job creators and leading in maritime innovation.”
“We are proud to partner with the Port of Gulfport on this important investment in the Port’s future,” said Matt Leech, CEO of Ports America. “This project strengthens infrastructure, improves efficiency and creates new opportunities for growth across the Gulf Coast. Ports America is committed to working alongside the Port to help drive long-term success for Gulfport and the region.”
“This is a major win for Mississippi and for our nation’s supply chain,” Congressman Mike Ezell said.“The Port of Gulfport plays a vital role in supporting our economy and our national defense. This investment will strengthen its capabilities, improve efficiency and ensure it remains a critical asset for years to come. I was proud to support this application and advocate for these resources. This investment will deliver long-term benefits for our military, our businesses and our local communities.”
“Securing this award required strong partnership at every level,” Nass added. “We are grateful to our federal delegation for their tireless advocacy on behalf of the Port in Washington, and MDOT and Ports America for their continued partnership to advance the Port’s growth.”
The grant funds will be used to:
- Improve rail infrastructure on Terminal 5
- Add an intra-port rail connection between the East Pier and West Pier
- Pave eight acres of Terminal 4 with concrete and reconfigure utilities and high mast light poles
- Equip Terminal 4 with 24 refrigerated container towers to support increased perishable import and export volume
Purchase a ship-to-shore crane transformer and a reach stacker. The transformer will increase the reliability of facility operations during severe weather events, and the reach stacker will support reefer tower operations at Terminal 4 and intermodal operations at Terminal 5.
About the Port of Gulfport:
The Port of Gulfport is a key gateway for north-south container trade and breakbulk cargo, with on-dock Class I rail service via the CN and CPKC. As a designated Strategic Seaport, the Port also has a direct rail connection to Camp Shelby and an active relationship with the Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) stationed locally. Gulfport is a key port for refrigerated cargo and maintains 1,400 refrigerated container plugs to support perishable imports and exports. Gulfport is also a hub for Mississippi’s growing Blue Economy, housing research, innovation and manufacturing facilities that advance uncrewed maritime systems and other blue technologies.