Miz Sippi: Can't keep good biz down

By Rod Duren, Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle

Let’s take a look-back at 2021 across the Gulf Coast, now that we can almost see a new year. With all the doom-and-gloom that the pandemic provided – thousands of deaths, vaccinate or not – couldn't keep every aspect of positive business under its thumb.

Sure, there were fewer airline travelers, but at year’s-end the feds supplied almost $20M to 63 airports across Mississippi for repairs/improvements. Some of those airports selected will go to Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International, Jackson: $3,799,704; Gulfport-Biloxi $2,994,440; Golden Triangle, Columbus: $1,033,512; Key Field, Meridian $1,012,816; Tupelo $1,009,902; Hattiesburg-Laurel $1,007,54; Yazoo County $110,000; and Stennis, Bay St. Louis: $295,000 … and a host of others.  

Regional port operations also got in on more than $241M in U.S. DOT grants for projects. The grants went to 25 projects in 19 states through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funds are intended to bulk up America's supply chains to meet growing demand and address inflationary pressures. Three projects are in the region: Bay St. Louis and Aberdeen, Miss., and Delcambre, La. 

In Mississippi, the Port Bienville Rail Storage Yard got $4.14M to construct a new rail storage yard – to increase storage capacity 25% - to support the existing operations at the port. Mississippi’s Aberdeen Port Rail Spur Connector was awarded $4M for a project that funds construction of 12,200 linear feet of new rail spur that is to provide direct access between the port along the Tenn-Tom waterway and Kansas City Southern Railroad.

In Louisiana, Port Resiliency Improvements was awarded $2M for a project that includes dock refurbishment, debris removal, port slip improvements, and construction of several small buildings.

Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula had a pretty stellar year. They scored $490.69M on just four contracts. In January, for one Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose) Replacement (LHA(R)) Flight 1 Ship (LHA 9). The fourth increment of LLTM awarded. 

 

A contract for life cycle engineering and support for LPD-17 class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship program. 

 

In May, HII was awarded a contract for planning yard support for LPD 17 amphibious transport dock ships, LHD 1/LHA 6 amphibious assault ships, LSD 41/49 dock landing ships and LCC 19 amphibious command ship.  

 

In December, HII as awarded a contract action for long lead time material (LLTM) in support of one amphibious assault ship (general purpose) replacement (LHA(R)) Flight 1 Ship (LHA 9). This action will be the seventh increment of LLTM awarded that was executed on April 30.  

 

At Stennis Space Center, NASA began testing for development of RS-25 engines that will help power the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on future missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars. The first test was in late January. The 7-test series was being used for RS-25 developmental engine No. 0528, and for data for Aerojet Rocketdyne as it begins production of new RS-25 engines for use after the first four SLS flights.

On Dec. 7, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy visited Stennis Space Center for the first time. 

 

Ten-digit dialing came to north Mississippi customers in the 662-area code. The change will enable a new national suicide prevention hotline. On April 24, customers in Southaven, Oxford, Tupelo, Columbus, Starkville, Greenwood and Greenville began 10-digit dialing. North Mississippi was among 82 area codes nationwide making room for the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which begins operation in July 2022.  

 

San Diego-based Ocean Aero, a manufacturer and service provider of ocean-going autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSV), announced in November it is relocating its manufacturing operations and HQ to Gulfport. The $4.7M project will create 45 new jobs. Ocean Aero’s AUSVs are currently deployed by DoD, Homeland Security, NOAA and offshore energy companies. The company manufactures the world’s first and only environmentally powered AUSV, the TRITON, which operates exclusively on wind and solar energy.   

 

Metal Shark shipbuilding in Franklin and Jeanerette, La., was on a roll in early January. They were selected to develop and implement the Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel (LRUSV) System for the Marines. The system is to usher in a new era of naval technology while increasing lethality and a network of unmanned vessels traveling autonomously for extended ranges and transporting munitions. Metal Shark enlisted developer Spatial Integrated Systems (SIS), which had been recently acquired by Huntington Ingalls Industries, to provide the autonomy solution. Metal Shark will design, build, test, and implement the vessels; and handle the integration of the autonomy system and implement a Command and Control (C2) software suite.  

The Port of New Orleans celebrated its 125th anniversary of its July 9 founding as an independent subdivision of the State of Louisiana. 

Mississippi was recognized by Area Development magazine with a Silver Shovel Award in tribute to its economic development successes of 2020. The state’s top project was Amazon’s state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Madison County. Some additional projects: Navistar Defense’s manufacturing/testing facility in West Point with 500 jobs and Gulf Ship of Harrison County with 200 jobs. Additionally, the Kiln, Miss.-based Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission’s aerospace strategy project won the 2020 Community Economic Development Award.  

 

2022 

Mississippi lawmakers will have a full agenda upon reconvening at the Capitol on Jan. 4. Among the major challenges will be overseeing $1.8B in allocated funds to the Magnolia State from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The feds have placed broad categories on the one-time funding to be spent on water, sewer and broadband infrastructure; tourism; issues related to health care; and combating/recovering from the pandemic. 

 

Aside from the federal funds, several other bills will be floated: Teacher pay raises, rehabilitation of state parks, tax relief, medical marijuana, and redistricting of state and congressional districts. You can follow the legislative sessions at www.legislature.ms.gov. 

 

Editor’s Note: This post is an end-of year column for Central Mississippi and The Gulf Coast communities. In deference to the Ole Miss, ‘Miz Sippi’ is a periodic post throughout the month(s) ahead. Invitations are open to businesses and individuals for input in improving the coverage and grow business product(s). Low-cost business ads are also available upon request via gcmilbiz@gmail.com.)