Gulf Ship, an Edison Chouest Offshore company, and specialty shipbuilder with an 38-acre shipyard, is expanding operations at its home port in Gulfport, Mississippi. The project is expected to create more than 200 jobs.

Gulf Ship will retrofit a portion of its facility and make improvements to the boat launching system and waterfront area. The launching system and waterfront area are leased by Gulf Ship from the Harrison County Development Commission.

Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for improvements to the launching system and waterfront area as an incentive.

“For the second time in less than a month, Mississippi is leading in the nation’s shipbuilding and maritime industries, as Gulf Ship plans to create hundreds of new jobs to fulfill a contract for state-of-the-art tugboats that will service offshore oil operations. That’s hundreds of Mississipians now able to provide for themselves and their families while boosting our Gulf Coast economy thanks to these skilled, good-paying jobs,” Governor Tate Reeves said. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Edison Chouest team and are excited for the continued success of Gulf Ship and its skilled workers in Harrison County.”

“Gulf Ship’s new contract to build some of the best tugboats in the world from the Mississippi Gulf Coast once again shines a spotlight on the many advantages of doing business in our state, as well as the skilled shipbuilders that keep companies like Gulf Ship competitive in this fierce industry,” said MDA Interim Director John Rounsaville. “We appreciate the hard work and collaboration of the Harrison County Development Commission and Harrison County, which, together with the MDA team, is bringing exciting job opportunities to the Gulf Coast region.”

Founded in Gulfport in 2006, the company uses the shipyard primarily for the construction and upkeep of tractor tugboats and platform supply vessels.

“We are thrilled that the Edison Chouest family chose their Gulf Ship facility to again expand their operations, and it’s especially gratifying watching the company grow during these challenging times in the oil and gas industry,” said Harrison County Board of Commissioners President Frankie Castiglia, Jr.