Ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport have new agreement with Cuba

Representatives from South Mississippi ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport signed agreements in Cuba on Monday, Reuters reports.

Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., vice chairman of the committee, are leading a five-member delegation to Cuba and Colombia through Friday.

They said in a joint statement the purpose of the five-day trip is to discuss future opportunities for U.S.-Cuban cooperation in a variety of areas such as foreign trade, migration, human rights and property claims.

Similar agreements to those signed by representatives of the South Mississippi ports had been signed last month with Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama, Reuters said.

Mike Alise, who operates Gulf Coast Produce Distributors in Biloxi, is among business leaders and representatives of the state in Cuba this week. His wife, company owner Christi Alise, posted on social media that Gulf Coast Produce is the only agricultural company there.

“Hopefully we see MS on the map with Cuba,” she posted.

Sun Herald

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport have new agreement with Cuba."