VT Halter exiting Gulfport

VT Halter Marine will shut down its Gulfport Miss. operation and consolidate the work force at its Pascagoula and Moss Point, Miss. locations, reports today's Sun Herald newspaper.

The newspaper quotes Boyd E. "Butch" King, chief executive of the shipbuilding company, as saying that the move will occur over the next six months and is designed to make the company more efficient.

VT Halter Marine has one facility in Pascagoula with 450 workers, two in Moss Point with a combined 425 workers and 125 people in Gulfport at Bayou Bernard Industrial Park.

VT Halter Marine plans to sell the 70 acres where headquarters is located, along with 117 nearby acres. It also still has 70 acres at Port Bienville Industrial Park.

None of the nearly 1,000 people who work for VT Halter will be out of work, reports the newspaper. It says the company is considering more flexible work schedules to account for the longer commutes some workers will have to make.