Mississippi Coast Foreign Trade Zone and Water Ports … Giving Businesses a Competitive Advantage L ocated on the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi Coast is home to one of America's most professional, well- run foreign trade zones and several water ports, offering tremendous competitive advantage for non- manufacturing or manufacturing import and export businesses.    The Mississippi Coast Foreign Trade Zone #92 (FTZ) consists of 5,000 acres of secured sites at airports, ports and industrial parks located within the coastal counties of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson. Goods within the FTZ are considered to be outside of U.S. Customs territory. Therefore, foreign or domestic merchandise coming into the FTZ is generally considered part of international commerce and not officially entered into U.S. Commerce. Usual duties charged on goods may be:    • Deferred until all or part of the shipment is entered for U.S. consumption,    • Reduced when processing in the FTZ changes the tariff classification,    • Avoided when goods are re- exported from the zone,    • Eliminated on items that become damaged or obsolete while in the FTZ.    In addition to helping companies within the zone improve cash availability and lower operating costs, the FTZ has made these options available for businesses outside of the zone by creating special purpose manufacturing subzones. The assistance has provided these companies with the FTZ advantages, even though their physical facilities are some distance from the port of entry and FTZ property.    A number of services are available for goods arriving in the Mississippi Coast FTZ. The products can be: • Stored • Sampled • Destroyed • Tested • Cleaned • Assembled • Mixed • Repaired • Relabeled • Manipulated • Manufactured • Repackaged • Displayed • Salvaged • Processed    Within the Mississippi Coast FTZ are two deep- water ports, the Port of Gulfport and the Port of Pascagoula, and several other ports, all offering water access for barge traffic and direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway. The Port of Gulfport in Harrison County is a world- class deep- water port strategically positioned on the Gulf of Mexico. For over 100 years, mid- America has depended on this port for transport and delivery of millions of tons of cargo. The port is also fast becoming a leader in international trade, moving diverse items including tropical fruit, frozen poultry, ilmenite ore, livestock, aluminum, steel, paper, forest products and heavy lift cargoes. Ranked as the third busiest container port on the Gulf of Mexico and seventeenth in the United States, the bulk, break bulk and container seaport encompasses 184 acres and has nearly 6,000 feet of berthing space.    The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway lies five miles offshore from the Port of Gulfport. This location provides the port with superior access to the major barge carriers servicing the Gulf of Mexico. From the waterway, access to the port is provided by a short 16 mile shipping channel extending northward. The channel is approximately 250 feet wide and is maintained to a depth of 36 feet.    A major key to the success of both the FTZ and the Port of Gulfport is their direct accessibility to transportation. By road, rail, sky or water, goods can be transported conveniently and affordably to, from and throughout the zone.    The Gulf Coast area is served by Interstates 10 and 59, U.S Highway 49, State Highways 57 and 63 and numerous other interconnecting routes. From the Port of Gulfport, trucks can distribute products to 75 percent of the U.S. markets within 24 hours, and many trucking services are readily available. Rail services are also available to distribute merchandise within the U.S. CSX Transport carries goods east and west across the U.S. Kansas City Southern Railway and Canadian National transport merchandise north and south.    Direct connection to worldwide air shipments is provided by three airports within the FTZ. The Gulfport- Biloxi International Airport, Stennis International Airport and Trent Lott International Airport provide top- of- the- line facilities for international air transportation. Gulfport- Biloxi International Airport focuses on perishable transport and can handle, clear, consolidate and distribute products throughout North America.    If goods coming into the zone require storage, it is offered too. At each port and at various industrial sites, abundant warehouse space is open for long- term or short- term, cold or dry storage.    Fully developed industrial property is also available within the zone at industrial parks and at all three of the international airports. Bernard Bayou Industrial District in Harrison County has waterfront acreage and areas designated for heavy manufacturing, light industry or technology businesses.    When the advantages of the FTZ and the water ports are complemented with the other great amenities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, it is easy to see why more and more companies are choosing to do business in the area. Great tax incentives and innovative financing options are currently available for qualifying businesses locating to the Gulf Coast, one of the best vocational and technical training programs in the nation is available and the climate and quality of life are outstanding. If you are interested in finding out more about the Mississippi Coast FTZ, the Port of Gulfport or other water ports, and the other great amenities, contact the Harrison County Development Commission today.    Contact Information: Larry Barnett, Executive Director, 228- 896- 5020