Ports have asked about the status of the 2025 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) and Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs). AAPA was told the NOFOs are ready but currently sitting on the desks of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, respectively.
The delays appear to be part of a broader review of federal funding. Due to a series of Continuing Resolutions (CRs) by Congress to fund the Federal Government, department secretaries have significantly more discretion in how funding is allocated. We understand that the Administration is likely scrutinizing all programs to ensure that they align with the President’s policies. However, these programs align fully with President Trump’s priorities, including transportation security and bolstering maritime infrastructure.
On PSGP, once the NOFO is approved, FEMA will aim to set an application deadline of May 31st—the minimum time required to review applications, make selections, and disburse funds. Ports may be given very little notice and a very short turnaround time to apply once the NOFO is released. For PIDP, Congress required that DOT extend the application deadline when NOFOs are updated, so the deadline could be delayed until later this summer.
Action Items:
- Please alert your Government Relations teams and encourage them to engage your congressional delegation. Pressure on the Administration from Congress can make a difference in ensuring that our key grant programs are not sidelined.
- Be prepared for short or delayed application periods.
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More than 25 ports are already registered for the 2025 AAPA Port Leadership Summit—are you sending your rising stars? Fewer than 35 spots remain for this dynamic event, taking place May 19–22, in Milwaukee, WI. The multi-day summit gathers top port executives and industry experts to share strategies, best practices, and insights on effective leadership through keynotes, panels, and interactive workshops.
Event highlgihts include:
- Leadership Sessions: Topics include transitioning into leadership roles, aligning port leadership with board priorities, maintaining work-life balance, building strategic partnerships, and driving port business development.
- Interactive Workshops: Covering emotional intelligence, critical negotiation skills, coaching for team success, and team dynamics using the DiSC assessment.
- Port Milwaukee Tour: Happening on May 20, from 3:00–6:00 p.m., and featuring an inside look at Milwaukee’s role in regional trade and waterfront access.
This event is a must-attend for those committed to advancing themselves, their ports, and the broader maritime industry.
Ready to grow your port’s leadership bench?
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The Port of Albany has released a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to explore development opportunities at its Beacon Island expansion site in Glenmont, NY. The site has received over $170 million in investment and is now construction-ready, with multimodal connectivity along the Hudson River. The Port seeks proposals ranging from industrial and maritime uses to mixed-use and public-private partnership models. This RFEI will help guide future land-use planning and identify potential development partners. The Port of Albany contributes over $428 million annually to the regional economy and supports approximately 1,400 local and 4,500 statewide jobs.
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The Port of New Orleans has appointed Loren Marino as its new Vice President of External Affairs and Chief of Staff. In this role, she will oversee community engagement, strategic planning, and key departments including Human Resources, Procurement, IT, and Marketing and Communications across Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. Marino previously served in several leadership roles in Jefferson Parish, including Senior Assistant Parish Attorney and Chief Administrative Assistant to the Parish President. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from Tulane Law School.
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Westa Inc. is finalizing plans for a $20 million wheat flour mill and sunflower seed processing plant at the Port of Brownsville’s Business Park, expected to employ 120 people and enhance supply chain operations with grain shipments via barge from the Midwest. The facility spans more than 10 acres and marks the first development within the port’s 118-acre business park. Ternium is also expanding its presence at the port with a $200 million investment in a new 180-acre marine terminal to support its steel operations, increasing throughput to over 9 million tons annually. The terminal will include infrastructure for receiving and storing imported iron ore and is part of Ternium’s larger steelmaking expansion in Mexico to meet USMCA content requirements. The Port of Brownsville currently exports more than 6 million tons of steel to Mexico each year.
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The Puget Sound Zero Emission Truck Collaborative has released the Decarbonizing Drayage Roadmap to 2050, a strategy outlining nearly 70 recommendations to transition the region’s drayage trucking fleet to zero-emission vehicles. Supported by the Washington State Department of Transportation and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), the Roadmap was developed over two years with input from over 25 stakeholders, including freight industry members, truck drivers, and community groups. Recommendations focus on affordability of zero-emission trucks, infrastructure development, and support for small businesses and independent owner-operators. The plan includes short-, medium-, and long-term actions and calls for initiatives like demonstration projects and utility planning. The transition has already begun with new state incentives and a pending NWSA zero-emission incentive program award.
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The Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board of Commissioners elected Patrick Boyle as president for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2025, during its annual meeting on March 26. Yvonne Solon, the outgoing president, will continue serving on the board as secretary. Other officers elected include Mike Jugovich as vice president, Brian Murphy as treasurer, and Ida Rukavina as assistant treasurer. Commissioners Nancy Aronson Norr and Jerome Johnson also serve on the seven-member board, which oversees the Port Authority’s financial and organizational operations. The Port Authority manages key facilities including the Clure Public Marine Terminal and supports over 7,000 jobs through the Port of Duluth-Superior.
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The Port of Nanaimo, Snuneymuxw First Nation, and DP World have officially launched construction of the Duke Point Terminal Phase 2/3 expansion. Supported by a 50-year lease agreement and public-private investments — including $46.2 million from Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund and $15 million from British Columbia — the project will nearly double berth length and increase annual cargo capacity to 280,000 TEUs. The expansion will improve regional trade resilience and establish a short-sea shipping connection between Nanaimo and Vancouver. Plans include a 26,000-square-foot covered storage area for pulp and the replacement of a diesel quay crane with two fully electric cranes. The project aims to enhance operational efficiency, support economic growth, and strengthen supply chains across Vancouver Island and beyond.
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Carnival Cruise Line has announced that its fourth Excel-class ship, the LNG-powered Carnival Festivale, will homeport at Port Canaveral beginning in 2027. The 180,000-ton vessel will offer week-long cruises and join sister ship Mardi Gras, which began sailing from the port in July 2021. Port Canaveral will then be home to six LNG-powered ships, highlighting its leadership in supporting clean fuel solutions. Carnival Festivale will feature popular amenities and new additions, including a large water park on the upper decks.
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The Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista have officially opened Sweetwater Park, a 39-acre public recreational space and the Port’s largest park to date. Located adjacent to the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, the park is the first completed project under the Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment plan. Features include nature playgrounds, picnic areas, 2.5 miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths, bayfront overlooks, ecological gardens, and a 25-foot public art sculpture. The park’s design was led by landscape architecture firm KTUA and emphasizes habitat protection and community engagement. Funded in part by the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program, the park cost nearly $20 million to design and build.
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On April 7, 2025, the Port of Seattle filed an appeal in King County Superior Court challenging the Seattle City Council’s decision to allow residential development in the city’s industrial zone supporting deepwater port operations. The Port argues the ordinance constitutes an unlawful spot rezone that primarily benefits a single property owner and contradicts state, county, and local land use policies. Port operations, which support 46,800 maritime-related jobs and generate $16.3 billion in economic activity, could be negatively impacted by the proposed development. The appeal is backed by coalition partners including labor unions and industry representatives, who cite concerns about freight mobility, job security, and environmental justice. The Port seeks to block implementation of the ordinance through legal action.
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The Port of Long Beach will resume its free 90-minute community harbor tours beginning in May and continuing through September 2025. The narrated tours provide the public with a chance to see the port’s operations, learn about its economic and environmental initiatives, and view large vessels and marine life. Registration for May tours opens on Monday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. via an online lottery system. Tours are generally offered four times a month—twice on Saturday mornings and twice on Wednesday evenings. Reservations are required and limited to four seats per person; visit polb.com/porttours for more information.
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The Port of Brunswick handled a record 91,360 units of Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) cargo in March 2025, an 18% increase over the same month last year, making it the busiest U.S. port for vehicles and heavy equipment. The Colonel’s Island Terminal also saw a record 65 vessel calls, supported by new services from Hoegh Autoliners and Sallaum Lines. Phase I of a new railyard, doubling weekly train capacity, is expected to be completed in May, increasing annual rail capacity from 150,000 to over 340,000 vehicles. GPA recently invested $262 million in infrastructure upgrades at the port, and a fourth RoRo berth is in the engineering phase. Over 90% of vehicles moved by rail from Brunswick are U.S.-made exports.
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Jonathan Saul and Renee Maltezou
Reuters
Alicia Diaz
Bloomberg
Economists Warn of Potential Economic Downturn Amid New Trade Policies
Christopher Rugaber
Associated Press
Ana Swanson
New York Times
Nazmul Ahasan
Bloomberg
Mike Schuler
gCaptain
Hayley Smith
LA Times
Maritime Executive
Air cargo rates also facing downward pressure
Stuart Chirls
Freightwaves
Mike Schuler
gCaptain
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11
Apr 2025
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Time: 11:30-12:30 pm ET
For more information or a link to register, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Ian Gansler at igansler@aapa-ports.org.
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24
Apr 2025
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Time: 1:00-2:00 pm ET
Marine terminals face unique challenges in implementing shore power, from power availability to space constraints for cable management. Aligning green policies and global decarbonization goals drives the need for creative, flexible solutions. This keynote will cover shore power basics, highlight the shortcomings of older methods, and introduce new technologies to advance decarbonization. The focus is on using less equipment, with less construction, in less space to achieve 100% connection capability.
Presented by:
Alan Kwoo, Port Technologies Manager
Sean McCaskill, Shore Power Solutions Manager, Americas
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29
Apr 2025
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Time: 1:00-2:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Liz Mancini at lmancini@aapa-ports.org.
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1
May 2025
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Time: 1:00-2:00 pm ET
Join us to explore how GSTS’ AI-powered platform, OCIANA®, can revolutionize how ports approach environmental transparency and sustainability. Discover how OCIANA® generates real-time and historical insights on vessel emissions, enabling better decision-making for port operators and stakeholders. OCIANA® helps track harmful emissions on port, with the ability to understand which vessels are contributing the most to the carbon footprint of your port, which include looking at vessel grade and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating. Additionally, we’ll delve into how OCIANA® supports port operations, industry best practices, and green digital shipping corridors.
Presented by:
Krista Foster, Director of Products
Scott MacPhee, Proposal and Commercial Account Manager
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6
May 2025
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Time: 2:00-3:00 PM ET
For more information or a link to register, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Melodie George at mgeorge@aapa-ports.org.
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14
May 2025
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Time: 2:00-3:30 PM ET
For more information or a link to register, please contact AAPA staff liaisons, Shannon McLeod at smcleod@aapa-ports.org or Charissa Meikle at cmeikle@aapa-ports.org.
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15
May 2025
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Time: 1:00-2:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Liz Mancini at lmancini@aapa-ports.org.
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11
Jul 2025
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Time: 11:30 - 12:30 ET
For more information or a link to register, please contact AAPA staff liaison, John Bressler at jbressler@aapa-ports.org.
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