With 90 ports already registered, the 2025 AAPA Annual Convention & Expo is the only event bringing the entire maritime community together in one place. Taking place October 6–8 in Québec City, it convenes 1,000 industry peers, 60 expert speakers, and the hemisphere’s largest concentration of port leaders.

 

In a year defined by volatility, disruption, and uncertainty, no gathering is more essential. The program is built to deliver intelligence you can’t get anywhere else—laser-focused on today’s challenges and the strategies shaping tomorrow.

 

Eight specialized tracks provide real-world insight across every critical area: AI, Cybersecurity & Technology Investments; Finance & Business; Infrastructure Modernization; Labor Relations & Workforce Development; Supply Chain & Logistics; Energy & Resilience; Environment & Community Stewardship; and a Canadian Spotlight.

 

Register today to join 90 ports and secure your place before the onsite fee applies.

The Port of Hueneme marked World Oceans Day on August 19 by hosting its third-annual “Sustaining the Seas Summit” at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard. The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, environmental organizations, and community members to discuss ocean conservation, sustainability, and regional collaboration. Keynote speaker Dr. Sarah Otterstrom of Paso Pacifico highlighted efforts to connect ecosystems from California to Central America.

 

During the summit, the Port and NOAA presented the “Blue Whales Blue Skies” awards to six shipping companies for participating in the Vessel Speed Reduction program, which reduces whale strikes, emissions, and underwater noise. The event also featured panel discussions on whale conservation grants, coastal resilience, and kelp-based opportunities, and underscored the Port’s “Zero Emissions by 2030” initiative.

The Port of Benton has upgraded its railroad track to Class 1 status, allowing unrestricted service for industrial rail customers. The 16-mile line, acquired from the U.S. Department of Energy in 1998, currently supports 1.3 million tons of freight annually, including frozen fries and dairy feed. Recent improvements included replacing five road crossings and installing 3,400 new rail ties.

 

The port also secured a $9.56 million federal BUILD grant, with $2.4 million in matching funds, to replace 4 miles of aging track, upgrade two additional crossings, and add 9,000 new ties. These upgrades, scheduled for completion by 2027, will raise the track to Class 2 status, allowing train speeds up to 25 mph, improving safety, and reducing vehicle delays at crossings from over 15 minutes to as little as 4 minutes.

Port Houston announced on Sept. 24, 2025, the appointment of Eric Casey as Chief Operating Officer and Parker Harrison as incoming Chief Legal Officer following a nationwide search. Casey previously served as Executive Vice President, Global Ports at Cold Summit Development, was CEO of the Port of Wilmington (DE), Vice President at Virginia International Terminals, and held director roles at Maersk; he is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and succeeds retired COO Tom Heidt. He holds an MBA from William & Mary, a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from The Ohio State University, Lean certification from the University of Michigan, and a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from Texas Tech University. Harrison joins from Crowley Maritime, where she was Chief Legal and Risk Officer and Corporate Secretary, and earlier managed global liability claims at Shipowners’ Claims Bureau and practiced admiralty and maritime law at Chaffe McCall. She earned a J.D., magna cum laude, with a Certificate in Maritime Law from Tulane Law School, as well as an M.A. and B.A. from the University of Virginia, and will assume the CLO role from Erik Eriksson, who plans to retire.

Port Everglades has been ranked in the top 20% of container ports globally in the 2024 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. The port held its No. 3 position in North America and remained No. 1 in Florida, while placing No. 67 worldwide out of 403 ports evaluated. The CPPI measures performance based on six key events, including vessel arrival, container handling, and departure times, covering 175,000 vessel calls and 247 million cargo moves in 2024. Port Everglades handles more than one million TEUs annually and benefits from proximity to Atlantic shipping lanes, direct highway access, and a 43-acre intermodal container transfer facility. Ongoing capital investments are supporting continued operational growth and efficiency.

The Port of Oakland has introduced new digital dashboards on its Oakland Portal website and mobile app to provide real-time operational insights for shippers, truckers, and community members. The dashboards include tools for Dwell Time, Empty Return Instructions, and Ocean Carrier Services, designed to improve cargo planning, reduce wasted trips, and increase supply chain reliability. Developed with funding from the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and building on the Freight Intelligent Transportation System (FITS) initiative, the tools are powered by Parsons’ iNET® advanced traffic management software.

 

Features include tracking container dwell times, real-time empty container return guidance, and detailed maps of ocean carrier services calling at Oakland. The Port plans to continue expanding these resources to further enhance efficiency, transparency, and coordination across the supply chain.

The Port of Long Beach will host a virtual Facility Improvements Pre-Solicitation workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 1 p.m. to provide information on applying for funding through its Community Grants Program. A total of $2.5 million is available for facilities located in neighborhoods impacted by port operations, including schools, senior centers, churches, and daycare centers.

 

Eligible projects include air filtration systems, landscaping, energy-efficient lighting, electric vehicles, charging stations, and other quality-of-life improvements. The Community Grants Program is a $65 million initiative supporting communities most affected by port-related environmental impacts and is the largest voluntary port mitigation program in the nation. To date, $54.7 million has been committed.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) has provided $108,000 through its Community Investment Fund to establish a new Visiting Specialist Clinic at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital. The clinic is fully equipped with medical and IT resources, enabling visiting doctors to hold in-person clinics for a range of specialized services. Since opening in 2025, 20 specialists across 10 fields, including cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, and rheumatology, have conducted 34 clinics, serving more than 1,400 patients. Nearly two dozen additional specialty clinics are already scheduled into early 2026, exceeding initial participation projections.

 

To date, PRPA’s Community Investment Fund has committed over $1 million to local healthcare projects, including maternity ward renovations, surgical equipment, diagnostic imaging upgrades, and palliative care improvements.

Enstructure Auto Logistics (EAL) has signed new agreements with Mazda North America and Toyota Logistics Services to provide finished vehicle logistics at JAXPORT’s Talleyrand Marine Terminal in Jacksonville. Under the agreements, EAL will serve as Mazda’s premier port processor in the Southeast for imports from Japan and Mexico and manage Toyota shipments to Puerto Rico, with operations beginning in December 2025. In January 2024, Enstructure entered a 30-year lease with JAXPORT for 79 additional acres, expanding its terminal footprint to 115 acres. The expanded facility will support bulk, breakbulk, heavy lift, project, general cargo handling, and finished vehicle logistics. JAXPORT leadership highlighted the agreements as strengthening Jacksonville’s position as one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.