Mississippi's Major Seaports: Gateways on the Gulf and River

Mississippi's coastline spans just 44 miles on the Gulf of Mexico, but its port infrastructure—combined with Mississippi River access—creates significant maritime capacity. Five key ports drive the state's blue economy:

Port of Gulfport

• Location: Gulfport, Harrison County (Gulf of Mexico)
• Status: State's largest port; 3rd largest container port in US Gulf
• Facilities: 600+ acres; 12 berths; 36-ft channel (deepening to 50 ft); 1.5M sq ft warehousing
• Cargo: Containers (bananas, coffee, furniture), breakbulk, project cargo, RoRo
• Tenants: Dole, Chiquita, Ceres Terminals, Gulfport Shipyard
• Economic impact: $2.5B+ annually; 15,000+ jobs

Port of Pascagoula

• Location: Pascagoula, Jackson County (Pascagoula River → Gulf)
• Status: 2nd largest in MS; top 20 US by tonnage
• Specialization: Heavy industry support—shipbuilding (Ingalls), oil/gas, chemicals
• Facilities: 1,000+ acres; 42-ft channel; 30+ berths; rail served (CSX, NS, KS)
• Key cargo: Forest products, chemicals, petroleum, project cargo, naval vessels
• Unique: Only US port building nuclear-powered warships (Ingalls)

Port of Greenville

• Location: Greenville, Washington County (Mississippi River, mile 530)
• Status: Largest inland port on lower Mississippi
• Facilities: 2,000+ acres; 3,000+ ft frontage; 9-ft channel (river); rail (CN, BNSF)
• Cargo: Grain (soybeans, corn, wheat), fertilizer, aggregate, steel, project cargo
• Significance: Mid-South grain export hub; 2M+ tons annually

Port of Vicksburg

• Location: Vicksburg, Warren County (Mississippi River, mile 437)
• Facilities: 500+ acres; 2,000+ ft frontage; rail (CN, VSC); barge fleeting
• Cargo: Grain, fertilizer, chemicals, steel, forest products
• Strategic: Near Yazoo River diversion; Vicksburg Bridge (I-20) rail/highway

Port of Natchez

• Location: Natchez, Adams County (Mississippi River, mile 363)
• Facilities: 200+ acres; 1,500+ ft frontage; barge loading; rail access
• Cargo: Grain, fertilizer, aggregate, forest products
• Tourism synergy: Historic river town; Natchez Trace Parkway; bluff-top casinos

System Integration

• Mississippi State Port Authority (Gulfport) governs coastal ports
• County port commissions govern river ports
• Connectivity: I-10 (coast), I-20/I-55 (river), Class I rail (CN, CSX, NS, BNSF, KS)
• Foreign Trade Zones: #92 (Gulfport), #158 (Pascagoula), #134 (Greenville)

Future Development

• Gulfport: 50-ft channel deepening (Panamax/Post-Panamax)
• Pascagoula: Ingalls expansion (Columbia-class submarines)
• River ports: Container-on-barge pilot; inland container terminal studies
• Blue economy: Offshore wind staging, aquaculture, marine tech