Port official: Don’t expect mega-ships from Panama Canal in Gulfport
Big ships from the Panama Canal will not be docking at the Port of Gulfport, a port commission director conceded Tuesday night, although that vision was painted several years ago to sell the community on moving $570 million in Katrina money from housing reconstruction to port restoration and expansion.
Mega-ships will be using larger ports, port Restoration Director Joe Conn told about 40 people who attended the meeting in North Gulfport about port restoration and expansion plans. “We don’t have the market in Gulfport to handle the large ships that are going to be going through the Panama Canal,” Conn said. “We’re not going to be ready when the Panama Canal opens, but the really large ships are not going to be coming to Gulfport, anyway.”
Sun Herald
7/24/12
Magnolia Tribune
