American Association of Port Authorities

10/16/2026

Following an insightful conversation at our with U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration - MARAD Administrator Steve Carmel, Port of Long Beach, Port of Corpus Christi, Bluecore Energy, and CORE POWER, AAPA's President and CEO, Sang Yi, highlights in NOLA.com how SMRs could help meet ports’ growing energy needs.

Guest Column: Nuclear power offers opportunity for ports

10/15/2026

Highlights from the 2026 AAPA Annual Convention in New Orleans 📊

950 attendees. 93 ports. 160+ speakers. 11 federal officials. Nine tracks covering the issues ports face now.

Thank you for leading with us. Swipe for the highlights.

10/09/2026

A modern permitting process is essential to strong infrastructure and durable supply chains. That's why America's ports are fully behind the Senate's Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act

09/30/2026

Thank you to all of our exhibitors at this year's AAPA Annual Convention in New Orleans! With a sold-out exhibit floor, the Exhibit Hall was a hub for connection and conversation throughout the week, and we're grateful for your support of the port industry.

We hope to see you all back on the floor in Orlando, Florida in 2027!

09/30/2026

Taking a moment to celebrate the women leading the port and maritime industry. From port authorities to federal agencies, these leaders took the stage throughout this week's Annual Convention. Thank you for sharing your expertise and insights with our attendees!

09/30/2026

AAPA Announces New Board of Directors Leadership for 2026-2028

AAPA is pleased to announce its newly elected officers and board members for the 2026-2028 term. The elections were formalized on Monday, September 28 during the 115th AAPA Annual Convention in New Orleans.

🔹 Chair: Rich Hendrick, CEO, Port of Albany
🔹 Vice Chair and South Pacific Regional Seat: Dr. Noel Hacegaba, CEO, Port of Long Beach
🔹 South Atlantic Regional Seat: Joseph Morris, CEO and Port Director, Port Everglades
🔹 North Atlantic Regional Seat: Gordon Carr, Executive Director, Port of New Bedford
🔹 At-Large Seat: Beth Branch, President and CEO, Port of New Orleans

"This new Board brings together some of the most experienced and talented leaders in the port community," said Sang Yi, AAPA President & CEO. "Their expertise and commitment will be invaluable as we grow our advocacy, strengthen the voice of ports across the Western Hemisphere, and win on behalf of our members and the communities they serve."

They join continuing board members Erik Varela, Illinois International Port District; Julianna Marler, Port of Vancouver USA; Lisa Lefeber, Port of Everett; and Bethann Rooney, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

Thank you to Chett Chiasson, Executive Director, Port Fourchon, for his leadership as Chair, and congratulations to our newly elected officers and board members.

09/29/2026

Congratulations to Nayeli Perez, recipient of the 2026 Foundation for the Seaports of the Americas Scholarship, recognized at the Annual Convention in New Orleans!

Nayeli is a first-generation college student studying civil engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and an engineering intern at Port of Corpus Christi. She plans to build a career in civil engineering focused on port and transportation infrastructure.

The Foundation for the Seaports of the Americas Scholarship provides $5,000 to undergraduate students pursuing maritime-related education who are nominated by AAPA member ports.

Thank you to Port Corpus Christi for nominating Nayeli and to all who support the Foundation's work to develop the next generation of port professionals.

09/29/2026

💡 A Look at the Conversations So Far in New Orleans

From advanced nuclear energy and Maritime Prosperity Zones to federal policy, workforce development, and Louisiana's role in global trade, the first two days of the AAPA Annual Convention have reflected the depth and diversity of our industry.

Among other experts, this year's program features 11 federal speakers, including leaders from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Maritime Administration - MARAD, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, International Trade Administration, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters.

A big thank you to ALL our speakers and participants driving these discussions forward!

09/29/2026

✨𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 & 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗟𝗣 ✨

We asked BBK to describe their 2026 in one sentence:
"𝘐𝘯 2026, 𝘉𝘉𝘒 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩."

BBK's Ports practice advises port agencies on funding and public-private partnerships, transportation and infrastructure projects, energy, and environmental review and permitting.

Annual Convention attendees can hear more from BBK attorneys during the panel "𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀," Tuesday, September 29 at 2:15 pm CDT, alongside leaders from the Port of Hueneme and Port Houston.

Thank you to BBK for supporting the 2026 AAPA Annual Convention & Expo.

09/29/2026

🏆 𝗔𝗔𝗣𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

We were proud to recognize the 2026 Lighthouse Award winners during yesterday's ceremony at AAPA's Annual Convention in New Orleans!

These outstanding ports exemplify innovation, leadership, and dedication across every facet of the maritime industry:

𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Port of Vancouver USA
𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
Large Port: Port of Vancouver USA
𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Large Port: Port Everglades
𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Small Port: Port of Albany
Large Port: Port of Vancouver USA
𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Large Port: Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority
𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱/𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀
Georgia Ports Authority
𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
Georgia Ports Authority
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Large Port: Ports of Indiana
𝗣𝗥/𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆/𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵
Small Port: Port of Albany
Large Port: Port Houston
𝗣𝗥/𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗥 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻
Small Port: Port of Philadelphia
Large Port: Port of Everett
𝗣𝗥/𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Small Port: Port of Philadelphia
Large Port: Port of Vancouver USA
𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Small Port: Port Pascagoula
Large Port: Port of Stockton
𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Small Port: Port Pascagoula
Large Port: SeaPort Manatee

👏 Congratulations to all this year's winners for their creativity, collaboration, and commitment to advancing the port industry.