Feb 24, 2023
by: Alyssa Arbuckle, Super Talk Mississippi
Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission was recently awarded $2 million to create a 30,000-square-foot warehouse with a docking bay at Port Bienville.
Other recipients of the funds, which are derived from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Port Improvement Fund Award, were announced by Governor Tate Reeves on Friday, February 17.
The port will use the award’s funding, as well as a 47 percent local match of $1,760,118, to create 15 new jobs at the new warehouse, which will accommodate increased demand and new trans-loading services.
“Port and Harbor has adopted an aggressive capital improvement plan to address deficiencies in our infrastructure that has restricted opportunities in the past and state and federal grants from our elected officials will pave the way for new industries in the future,” CEO of the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, Blaine LaFontaine, said.
The warehouse space is also expected to support existing industries such as Calgon Carbon as the Port Bienville plant finalizes the completion of the $200 million plant expansion and new production line.
Design on the warehouse will start once the grant is finalized with MDA. Bid and construction are projected to begin in the last quarter of this year.
