American Association of Port Authorities

09/04/2026

AAPA is proud to support , a campaign led by Association of American Railroads celebrating the people who keep the supply chain moving. From the warehouse floor to the port, the highway to the rail yard, this industry runs on skilled professionals whose work often goes unseen.

Through September 7, we're joining organizations across rail, trucking, ports, warehousing, air cargo, and logistics in recognizing the port and terminal operators, longshore workers, engineers, and countless others who make American ports run. Follow to see stories from across the industry.

09/02/2026

Welcoming ES2 as a new AAPA member!

Established in 1996, ES2 is an SBA certified 8(a) small business and registered engineering and surveying firm focused on leading-edge geospatial technologies in GIS, GPS, photogrammetry, and remote sensing. As a Cuban-American owned firm, ES2 offers an industry-leading array of GIS professional services and field data collection to support government and private-sector clients. With FAA certified pilots, ES2's UAS service offerings include survey-grade topographic mapping, ortho photo generation, and 3D visualization.

We are excited to have them join our association.

08/27/2026

Thank you to the Port of Pensacola's Port Director, Lance Scott, and his whole team for hosting AAPA recently.

Our VP of Government Relations, John Bressler, got an inside look at the future site of Birdon's new naval shipbuilding operation, which will create 2,000 good-paying local jobs across 15 acres.

The port is seeking authorization from Congress, in WRDA, to deepen its navigation channel to 40 feet. We support those efforts and, on behalf of every U.S. port, continue to advocate with our seaport champions on Capitol Hill for its timely passage.

08/26/2026

American Association of Port Authorities congratulates Mark Johnson on being sworn in as Deputy Administrator of theU.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration - MARAD. AAPA President and CEO Sang Yi met with him following the ceremony.

AAPA was also present as CORE POWER, an AAPA member, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with MARAD, launching a framework to accelerate the commercial, industrial, and regulatory pathway for U.S.-flagged nuclear-powered merchant ships, with CORE POWER targeting first construction from 2028.

CORE POWER will join Port of Corpus Christi and MARAD Administrator Stephen Carmel on the "Anchoring the Nuclear Renaissance: How SMRs and FNPPs Will Energize U.S. Ports and Beyond" panel at AAPA's Annual Convention & Expo, September 28–30 in New Orleans, LA.

Congratulations to Deputy Administrator Johnson, and to CORE POWER and MARAD on this landmark agreement!

08/25/2026

Welcoming the Omaha Inland Port Authority as a new AAPA member!

The Omaha Inland Port Authority is a public entity dedicated to advancing inclusive economic development throughout Omaha, Nebraska. By transforming land, infrastructure, and investment into long-term opportunities, they help businesses thrive and communities grow.

We are excited to have them join our association.

08/21/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗔𝗣𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!

Mark your calendars for four marquee events in 2027:

📍 Port Leadership Summit — January 25-29, Willemstad, Curaçao
📍 Legislative Summit — March 9-12, Washington, DC
📍 POWERS + Smart Ports Summit & Expo — May 17-20, San Diego, CA
📍 Annual Convention & Expo — September 27-29, Orlando, FL

Plan ahead and join us in 2027: bit.ly/2027-Events.

08/20/2026

AAPA is proud to welcome Core Group Resources as one of our newest members!

A trusted staffing partner with decades of experience, Core Group Resources provides personnel, executive leadership, and technical talent solutions to maritime, energy, shipbuilding, and construction organizations operating across the US and internationally.

We are thrilled to have Core Group Resources join AAPA and look forward to their insight as ports and maritime operators work to build and strengthen their workforce.

For more information on Core Group Resources, visit https://coregroupresources.com/.

08/19/2026

Interns play a vital role in the work we do at the American Association of Port Authorities, and this summer was no exception.

A big thank you to Yohanna Hawaz (Finance & Operations), Esther Ki (Government Relations), Cole Griswold (Government Relations), and Danielle Greenblat (Marketing & Communications) for their hard work and fresh perspectives.

Thank you for everything you contributed to our team, and best of luck in your next endeavors!

08/18/2026

𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮: 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀

Established as a deep-water harbor in 1927 and dedicated in 1928, Port Everglades has grown into one of the world's top three busiest cruise ports, a top 10 U.S. container port, and South Florida's main seaport for receiving petroleum products.

At the port's official dedication in 1928, about 25,000 Broward County residents gathered as President Calvin Coolidge pushed a button from the White House that was supposed to detonate explosives to remove the rock barrier separating the harbor from the ocean. Nothing happened, but the barrier was removed shortly afterward. Later that year, the Graypoint became the first commercial vessel to dock at the new port. During World War II, Port Everglades also served as a U.S. Navy base and continues its long tradition of supporting the military by hosting the annual Fleet Week Port Everglades celebration.

Today, the Port is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund that does not use local tax dollars. Beyond its operations, Port Everglades-related businesses directly employ more than 13,000 residents and generate $48.3 billion in economic activity.

08/14/2026

America’s ports need predictable, long-term federal funding to plan and deliver the large-scale infrastructure projects that keep goods moving and strengthen the nation’s supply chains.

In a new Bloomberg Government story, AAPA President and CEO Sang Yi joins a chorus of maritime industry partners calling for advance appropriations for the Port Infrastructure Development Program.

Those multiyear funding commitments give ports the certainty they need to build critical infrastructure efficiently and meet the nation’s long-term freight and economic needs.

Read more:

Transportation industry groups are turning to the Senate to secure advance funding for US ports despite opposition from House Republicans.