Page 38: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Sep/Oct 2018)

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PORT DEVELOPMENT and The University of Southern Mississippi. The Port also has one non-maritime tenant, the rebuilt Island View Casino Resort.

McDermott International is locating pipeline-fnishing opera- tions on the East Pier of the port. The new shipyard operated by

Topship, a unit of Edison Chouest Offshore, builds service and supply vessels for the oil and gas industry.

Diversification

Since his arrival in April 2103, Daniels said that the Port has evolved from a shipping and cargo operation to a conversion port, where raw materials are being produced into fnished products.

“We were that Banana Port on the Coast of Mississippi, which is still a cornerstone of what we do. We are the nation’s second largest green fruit import facility, but you look at the diversifca- tion now,” said Daniels. He then added, “Throw in there the fact that we are one of seventeen strategic ports in the U.S. to be able to handle military cargo, and this port now becomes as diverse as any large scale facility you see anywhere in the United States. So we’re extremely proud of what we’ve been able to do.”

Daniels is confdent that a fnal site expansion engineering de- sign will be complete within the year. That, he says, will open the doors to more employment opportunities for Gulf Coast residents as the project gets off the ground. The estimated cost of the ex- pansion is three-quarters of a billion dollars.

“We’re at 527 (jobs)” said port director Daniels, at the July state of the port session. “The majority of those, by 69 almost 70 percent, fall in the low to moderate income category.” That may seem a long way away from the 1,300 jobs required by HUD in exchange for the $570 million grant for rebuilding and expan- sion. But Daniels stated that he has confdence new tenants would come online.

funding or it loses its lease option. Assuming the fnancing is ap- “The Topship facility at the inland port should open by the end proved, SeaOne will build a frst of its kind plant at Gulfport fea- of this year. And after that, the Port of Gulfport has three years turing SeaOne’s patented CGL technology and systems that in- to meet that job requirement.” Daniels says he’ll be able to meet cludes the CGL containment system. At Gulfport, SeaOne Phase that goal and beyond. “We’ve always looked at that as kind of the 1 capital expenses are currently estimated to be $450 million and foor, and we want to be able to build upon that,” Daniels added.

at Phase 4, an estimated $1.6 billion investment.

SeaOne’s patented CGL process includes the manufacture of a

Rolls First Ace solvated solution by chilling, pressurizing, and combining natural

Less than three weeks after the State of the Port, on August gas and NGLs. Ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentanes, and 16, 2018, Daniels rolled his frst ace: SeaOne, a compressed gas some heavier hydrocarbons are often referred to as natural gas liquids (CGL) start up from Houston, Texas, that two years ear- liquids or NGLs. The liquids will be processed through a plant lier had signed a MOU and lease option agreement with Gulfport to separate the heavier hydrocarbon liquids from the natural gas fnally had secured federal approval and signed a contract with stream. The fnal solvated CGL product is to be shipped by newly

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. to build twelve Articulated Tug/ designed Articulated Tug and Barges (AT/B) to international mar-

Barge vessels. kets in the Caribbean and Central America including the Domini-

SeaOne had already secured an Order of U.S. Department of can Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Gua-

Energy (DOE) Export Order for 30-years. With export permit in temala, Honduras, Mexico and US Territories to include Puerto hand and pending a fnal investment decision, SeaOne completed Rico, and the USVI.

its pre-project development work and front-end engineering and

The planned rich gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) being ex- design for the project at Gulfport.

ported will provide rich gas for power plants and also provide

Now, according to Kimberly Aguillard, Port of Gulfport media propane and Liquid Petroleum Gases (LPGs) for household and and marketing manager, SeaOne has 180 days to prove it has the other uses. Approximately 92 percent of the current power gen- 38 Maritime Logistics Professional September/October 2018 | |