(1) In any county where a port commission has been established or may be established and where the board of supervisors of said county directs that said commission undertake, on behalf of such county, jurisdiction over and duties in connection with the fulfillment of the assurances of local cooperation and handling of the harbor project upon which construction may be done by the federal government, as contemplated by Section 59-7-201, and where either all or over half of the lands and properties involved in said project are beyond the confines of any municipality lying within said county, then the board of supervisors of said county shall appoint four (4) members of said port commission in accordance with the terms and provisions of Section 59-7-125, and, where such port commission has been established or may be established in such instance, then said port commission shall undertake and perform the duties assigned to it by said board, as hereby authorized, and said commissions shall, in addition, manage and control all port facilities which may be authorized and constructed by virtue of the terms and provisions of Article 3 of this chapter, and all appurtenant and physical properties connected therewith, both real and personal, and shall provide for the regular inspection, repair, maintenance and improvement of said port facilitates. Said port commission, in the performance of its duties, may make any contract and authorize any purchases from any funds on hand in the port fund of any such county, which said contracts and purchases shall be made in accordance with Section 31-7-1 et seq. Said contracts and purchases shall include all contracts and purchases incidental to or necessary for the proper establishment, insurance, maintenance, repair, improvement and operation of said port facilities, including, if indicated for their protection, workmen’s compensation insurance for the benefit of any employees of said port commission.

Any such port commission is further authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to own and operate any or all dock, terminal, warehouse or railroad facilities which may by it be deemed necessary or desirable to promote the development of any port or industrial facilities under its control or supervision and to such end such port commission is authorized and empowered to acquire by purchase, construction or lease any buildings, structure or equipment, to employ any personnel or technical assistance, to enter into any contracts with any persons, firms or corporations, and to establish, charge and collect any tariffs, rates or other charges in connection therewith, as may be deemed necessary or advisable to accomplish such purposes. Said port commission is likewise authorized and empowered to operate such dock, terminal, warehouse or railroad facilities through agents or lessees by such contractual or lease agreements as may be entered into by said port commission upon such terms and conditions as said commission may deem proper. The authority granted hereby shall extend only to the lands under the control and supervision of said port commission.

(2) The powers and authority granted by this section are supplemental to all other powers and authority granted to said port commission and the same shall in nowise be construed to limit any such powers and authority heretofore granted.