From Governor Malloy:
(HARTFORD, CONN.) – The Office of Policy and Management – working with the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and local officials – today announced that it has selected leading global port and harbor advisor Moffat & Nichol to complete a comprehensive strategy study of the state’s three deep water ports, including a focused effort at growing maritime industry jobs. Hartford-based BETA Group, Inc., a local engineering, planning and environmental services firm, will also serve as a subcontractor on the project.
Moffat & Nichol’s final analysis will include: a full inventory of current port facilities; detailed profiles of transportation accessibility to the ports; a market analysis, including a list of markets or regions that can be serviced by Connecticut ports; a comprehensive strategy for economic development of the deep draft ports, including short- and long-term strategic initiatives and action plans; and, a plan for providing grants-in-aid for improvements to ports and marinas, including dredging and navigational direction.
“Connecticut’s maritime industry is a vital piece of our State’s economy, accounting for tens of thousands of good jobs,” said Governor Dannel P. Malloy. “Unfortunately, without a comprehensive strategy in place, we can’t know where the best chances for us to promote economic development exist. This study will change that. It will guide the State – in the short and long-term – in our effort to partner with Connecticut’s ports, grow jobs, and bolster our economy.”
Dr. Walter Kemmsies, Chief Economist at Moffat & Nichol, added, “In the current uncertain economic environment where capital is scarce, the best way to ensure that infrastructure investment is oriented towards supporting the state economy is to use a market-based analysis.”
Earlier this year, legislation was passed requiring the state to develop a strategy for economic development of the ports in New Haven, New London and Bridgeport. In September, the State issued a request-for-proposals (RFP) for these services, with a specific focus on generating strategic initiatives and detailed action plans it can use in developing and marketing the ports. As part of the selection process, the State also invited representatives from each of three municipalities with a deep water port to sit on the formal selection committee for the RFP, evaluating and scoring each proposal and helping to inform the State’s contractor selection from a local perspective. The State will pay Moffat & Nichol a total sum not to exceed $477,179 for the study, which is to be completed before June 30, 2012.
Based on the most recent analysis conducted by the Connecticut Maritime Coalition, Connecticut’s maritime industries and related economic activity account for more than $5 billion in business output within the state – including more than 30,000 jobs – and approximately $2.7 billion in State GDP.
Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Moffatt & Nichol serves clients worldwide from 27 offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim. The firm serves public and private entities in several primary areas – ports and harbors; coastal, environmental and water resources; urban waterfronts and marinas; transportation, bridges and rail; inspection and rehabilitation; and energy. For more information about the firm, please visit www.moffattnichol.com.
BETA Group, Inc. is a full service consulting firm and a regional leader providing transportation, environmental, structural, landscape architecture and asset management services to federal, state, municipal, and private clients in the New England area. For more information about the firm, please visit www.beta-inc.com.
The State’s original RFP can be viewed here: www.biznet.ct.gov/scp_search/BidDetail.aspx?CID=23185
Good God … a day late and Millions of dollars short. Don’t hold your breath here, esp. if the Finch flies get involved. The investors, if they have any financial sense, will require state or federal oversight to prevent the expected corruption coming from this city’s political environment.
*** More studies that will lead nowhere fast, then “back on the dusty shelves!” *** HYPE ***
This is a top-notch maritime firm with no prior connection to the state or the three ports. It is THE company the maritime industry and investors go to for sound market analysis. I am convinced this firm will give the four state agencies the unvarnished truth about the real market share the three Connecticut ports could capture. It will not be a field of dreams analysis. It will give hard analysis of what the private maritime industry is getting from other ports on the East Coast and identify the practical options. Solid choice!
We weren’t referring to these maritime industrial companies. We were referring to the corrupt Bridgeport political atmosphere of which you seem to be a part.
Bridgeport has had innumerable opportunities to rehabilitate its harbor including Finch’s acquisition of about $1.5Million to create a barge terminal. This was done while he was a state senator and was, perhaps, the last time he did anything economically positive for Bridgeport. Those monies went bye-bye when he was told the area where the barge terminal would go was to be used for “economic development” by the people who got him the mayoralty. The results are obvious. You can’t spin-doctor corruption into something positive, although you keep trying.
Bob,
You are as wrong as wrong can be in assuming Ms. Hadley is part of anything to do with the current Finch/Wood corrupt administration. Ms. Hadley has the kind of integrity, political as well as moral, that is a standard to be admired and respected. I would hope with a little research on your part, you will determine how wrong your accusation is … and perhaps apologize. I call on your own integrity to do this.
Sorry Carolanne … I know all the major characters in the administrations that have run Bridgeport for the past 40 years, including you. You may think Nancy Hadley has nothing to do with the current group of flies and leeches, but the perception is she is a spin doctor for them. Her connection is well known. If her integrity is intact, which we all hope, her name wouldn’t keep coming up in reference to what goes on in Bridgeport. And, if her integrity is a standard to be admired and respected she would either do something about the corruption to run for office, or disassociate herself from this city’s corruption.
Nancy Hadley, corrupt? HA HA HA! Holy Misconstrued Blogging Batman! She probably has her income taxes paid three years in advance!
Bob, there is a call for you to apologize to Hadley.
I know Len, but perception is everything. Carolanne is probably correct about Nancy Hadley and her integrity, but the perception is she has known what has been going on in Bridgeport for a long time and by extension was in a position to do something about it. If she’s so honest she’d be the 5% of political types who give Bridgeport a good name.
Bob,
Your 40 years have not left you enlightened as to those who believe change from corruption is to be pursued.
Nancy Hadley brings to Bridgeport the same kind of high-level ethics she brought to New Haven, where I also had the opportunity to work with her as a peer in the area of community service.
What perception she has is of honesty in her Bridgeport efforts.
What you must be willing to acknowledge is the hatchet job the Finch/Wood administration tried to do to Nancy’s reputation, same as they tried to do to me and to John Gomes … for nothing more and nothing less than honest and ethical professional behavior in service to the City of Bridgeport. Sorry Bob, you are still wrong and Nancy still deserves an apology for your statement.
*** Solid choice with a skeptical outcome when all is said, done and paid for! *** TIME WILL TELL ***
Corruption has nothing to do with this.
Just because a location has the ability (depth of harbor) for usage as a seaport, doesn’t mean it is needed or advantageous for usage.
The seaport connection has some regional value right now for bringing in energy products, and maybe drugs. I can’t think of anything that is exported.
I suspect with the decline of rail, and changes in the maritime shipping industry in general, Bridgeport has little value as a commercial port.
The argument over the port has gone on for decades. It is not unique to the Finch administration and has nothing to do with the merits of city governance.
Cold water thrown on the city and state from outside might give a realistic appraisal of what can be expected. If there is something, then politics from the city and state will come into play.
If Hadley were involved deeply with these humps she would be working for them.
And I don’t believe rumors that Hadley orchestrated the negotiations with WalMart for Steele Pointe.