NEW ORLEANS – The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), which represents port leaders and maritime industry partners across the Western Hemisphere, will hold its 115th Annual Convention Sept. 28-30 at the New Orleans Marriott, bringing port and maritime industry leaders to New Orleans for three days of discussions on issues affecting ports and global commerce.
The convention will focus on:
- maritime dominance, prosperity zones and domestic shipbuilding efforts;
- the future of nuclear small modular technology; and
- ongoing port modernization efforts, including artificial intelligence adoption, enhanced cybersecurity and electrification.
The convention comes as the Port of New Orleans moves forward with the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in St. Bernard Parish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the federal permit authorizing construction of the project in August, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for what Port NOLA says is the only new greenfield container port currently under development in the United States.
The Louisiana International Terminal will be part of the convention program, with a session examining Port NOLA’s partnership with private terminal operators Ports America and Terminal Investment Limited to develop the project.
Another keynote discussion will examine the potential use of small modular reactors and floating nuclear power plants at U.S. ports. AAPA has advocated for the technology as a potential source of reliable power as ports add cargo-handling equipment, cold storage and other energy-intensive operations, as well as a possible new energy source for vessel propulsion.
Port Industry Leaders Speaking at AAPA Convention
Speakers scheduled to participate include Sang Yi, president and CEO of AAPA; Stephen Carmel, administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration; Jerry Hendrix, associate director for shipbuilding programs at the White House Office of Management and Budget; Sal Mercogliano, associate professor of history at Campbell University and host of “What’s Going on with Shipping?”; Michael Rutherford, assistant secretary of the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Rich Hendrick, CEO of the Port of Albany and vice chair of the AAPA Board of Directors.
Louisiana maritime leaders participating in the convention include Chett Chiasson, executive director of Port Fourchon and chair of the AAPA Board of Directors, and Beth Ann Branch, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. Branch is also a member of the AAPA board.
Other scheduled speakers include Andrew Farquarson, deputy assistant secretary for Manufacturing Industry & Analysis at the International Trade Administration; Aris Kourkoumelis, assistant secretary for Trade and Economic Security at the Department of Homeland Security; Sydney Plante, acting associate administrator for Strategic Engagement at the U.S. Maritime Administration; and Michael Girodano, senior advisor for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at the Department of Transportation.
