NEW BLUE ECONOMY
ACTING FROM STRENGTH AND POSITIONING FOR THE FUTURE
SeaAhead, Inc. was tasked in August of 2019 to come to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to assist in the creation of a narrative for a new blue economy cluster, highlighting Gulfport’s role. We met with a wide range of stakeholders in Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties which revealed a deep diversity of ocean enterprises and science and technology assets that are engaged in shipbuilding, submersible vehicles, ocean sensors, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, cargo shipping, military readiness and homeland security. These existing blue economy capabilities provide a solid base for the future.
The blue economy along the Gulf Coast is changing fast and there is a strong willingness in the community to collaborate and build on the region’s blue economy.
University and government research, technology, infrastructure and innovation positions the Gulf Coast to pursue the growth sectors of the global blue economy. A true Mississippi Gulf Coast blue economy cluster is emerging as stakeholders develop organizational networks and facilities that catalyze convergence between traditionally siloed industry sub-sectors and disciplines to make the whole greater than its parts. By working and investing together on numerous initiatives, some of which are underway and others that are suggested in this report, the region is emerging as the next global blue economy cluster which will create resilient jobs for people with both technical skills and graduate level education.
Path 1: Research Concentrated on Convergence Opportunities
Applied research aims to solve specific practical problems that are directly relevant to business and policy. Given its small size, the Gulf Coast would benefit from a highly- focused innovation strategy focusing on the types of convergence opportunities just mentioned,
where applied research is not yet dominated by any other region.
Path 2: The Blue Economy Lab Bench for Prototyping and Testing
The Gulf Coast can become the nation’s blue economy center for prototyping and testing across domains (land/sea, inshore/offshore, surface/underwater, air/space, sea/ space). This “living laboratory” platform will stimulate research investment from corporates, governments and venture backed startups who need testing capability, makers space and access to potential customers.
Path 3: Outsourced Services for the Blue Economy Supply Chain
The Mississippi Gulf Coast has an immediate opportunity to exploit its domestic US location, low
cost basis and base of talent with strong technical skills and marine experience to rapidly expand its share of the growing market for blue economy-related technical services. These include, but are not limited to: short-run production of high-value added products, as well as outsourced services including testing, verification, compliance, genetic sequencing and synthesis.
