AAPA’s Port Professional Manager Capstone Examines the Economic Impact of Foreign Trade Zone Designation

AAPA’s Port Professional Manager Capstone Examines the Economic Impact of Foreign Trade Zone Designation

Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) offer ports powerful incentives to boost trade, attract investment, and create jobs. This edition features Port Professional Manager (PPM) Joseph Powell’s capstone project, which explores how FTZ designation can benefit the Port of Pascagoula.

Powell, Director of Security at Pascagoula, brings over two decades of experience in waterfront operations, port security, emergency management, and business development. His career spans leadership roles in the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and the private sector. At Pascagoula, he has spearheaded initiatives such as the port’s Green Marine certification and an award-winning maritime cybersecurity program.

In his research, Powell compares Pascagoula’s FTZ opportunities to those at Duluth Seaport, the Port of Alaska, and the Port of Vancouver USA. His findings highlight successes like Duluth’s $100 million in merchandise flow and Alaska’s use of subzones to attract diverse industries. Common challenges include limited awareness, regulatory hurdles, and the absence of performance tracking.

Powell recommends targeted marketing to educate businesses, streamlined customs coordination, and KPI tracking to measure growth. His work reinforces FTZs as strategic assets that not only enhance global competitiveness but also create sustainable regional economic growth. He concludes that Pascagoula is well-positioned to expand trade and serve as a model for effective FTZ implementation.

Port professionals interested in AAPA’s professional development programs can contact Shannon McLeod at smcleod@aapa-ports.org.