Budget plan may aid Port St. Joe

On April 25, the Florida Legislature was intending to move ahead on a budget that may give the Port of Port St. Joe (PPSJ) a significant economic boost, according to Deputy County Administrator Michael Hammond. The budget bill currently includes economic funds for Gulf County - if it survives final approval. A $6M appropriation would fuel the creation of a dry-dock area in the turning basin of the port’s shipping channel. The dry dock would be used for Eastern Shipbuilding’s planned expansion. The appropriation includes $1M for dredging the channel, which would assist opening PPSJ for development. The turning basin is currently not within the scope of an estimated $44M shipping channel dredge project. The legislation is crafted around Triumph Gulf Coast, which would bring nearly $15M to Gulf County for future economic development projects. TGC is the entity charged with disbursing about $1.5B in BP fines to eight NW Florida counties that were most impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (Source: Port St. Joe Star 04/27/17) Gulf Coast Note: U.S. Coast Guard has awarded the largest vessel procurement contract in service history to Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City. Eastern was selected to finalize its design and construct of the first series of nine Offshore Patrol Cutters with an option for two more.