The opportunity to increase South Mississippi's share of cargo to and from Central and South America was bolstered by Hurricane Katrina and should get another surge from the expansion of the Panama Canal, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported.

Mike Alise, president of Gulf Coast International Cargo, said a new air-cargo facility at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and a US$1 billion expansion planned at the Port of Gulfport put the Coast in prime position to compete when the expansion of the Panama Canal is done in 2014.