The American Association of Port Authorities announced that it has transitioned its website and email domain from aapa-ports.org to ports.org. The AAPA website is now available at www.ports.org, and all existing aapa-ports.org links will automatically redirect to the new domain with no interruption in access.
AAPA staff email addresses have also changed to @ports.org, while emails sent to @aapa-ports.org will continue to function during the transition period. Members may begin receiving emails from the new domain and are encouraged to add @ports.org as a trusted sender, as messages may otherwise be routed to spam or junk folders. The domain change does not affect AAPA’s mission, programs, or services.
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Don’t miss your chance to join AAPA’s Port & Terminal Management Training, a hands-on program taking place February 10–13 at the Port of Long Beach. This immersive training offers participants direct exposure to real equipment, active terminals, and live port operations through expert instruction, applied scenarios, and behind-the-scenes port tours.
Attendees explore core operational topics including cargo operations, terminal design, capital planning, risk management, and resilience, and work through leadership challenges based on real-world port environments. Participants who successfully complete the program receive a Certificate of Port & Terminal Management Training.
This training is open to all port and industry professionals—not just PPM candidates.
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The American Association of Port Authorities announced the final passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development (EWD) appropriations bill. The legislation requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to produce a work plan aligned with congressional direction and restores certainty to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF), rather than operating under a continuing resolution. The bill appropriates $3.245 billion from the HMTF, exceeding prior administration requests, and mandates $417.76 million in HMTF funding for Donor and Energy Transfer Ports under Section 102 of WRDA 2020, along with $62 million from the general fund for Section 104. The EWD bill was included in a larger FY26 appropriations minibus package and is expected to be signed by President Trump.
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The Prince Rupert Port Authority reported that the Port of Prince Rupert handled 26.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, representing a 14 percent increase over 2024. Intermodal volumes at DP World Prince Rupert’s Fairview Container Terminal rose 20 percent year over year to 885,797 TEUs, while cruise traffic increased 14 percent to 67,771 passengers. The port also recorded higher volumes across multiple commodities, including liquefied petroleum gas, grain, coal, and wood pellets. During 2025, the port advanced more than $3 billion in infrastructure projects, including energy export, logistics, rail, and terminal capacity expansions. Several of these projects are scheduled to begin coming online in mid-2026 to support additional cargo growth and supply chain capacity.
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The Port of New Orleans closed calendar year 2025 with 1,067,407 cruise passenger movements, marking the ninth year the port has exceeded one million annual passengers, excluding 2020 and 2021. In March 2025, the port recorded its highest single-month total on record, with more than 165,000 passenger movements. Port NOLA is the only U.S. port offering both ocean-going and river cruises, supporting year-round cruise activity. The port reported that cruise activity contributes approximately $445 million in total direct and indirect economic impact, with more than 300,000 hotel room nights generated annually. Looking ahead, Port NOLA cited the return of Royal Caribbean service and the deployment of a larger Carnival Cruise Line vessel as drivers of future growth.
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Ports of Indiana announced the appointment of Brady Jacoba as Chief Commercial Officer to lead the organization’s strategic growth initiatives. Jacoba brings three decades of experience in real estate, sales, marketing, and economic development and will be the first person to hold this role in the port authority’s 65-year history. The appointment coincides with the creation of a new commercial department focused on business development and external affairs. Ports of Indiana manages 2,800 acres of multimodal property across the state and generates $8.7 billion annually for Indiana’s economy. Established in 1961, the authority operates three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan that support approximately 50,000 jobs statewide.
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The Port of Long Beach announced plans to double its container throughput to 20 million TEUs annually by 2050, as outlined by CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba during his first State of the Port address on January 15, 2026. The Port reported a record 9,881,595 TEUs moved in 2025, a 2.4% increase over 2024, with nearly 9.9 million containers handled without backlogs or delays. A newly released forecast projects continued growth, supported by major infrastructure investments such as the $1.8 billion Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, scheduled for completion in 2032. The Port is also exploring development of a conventional zero-emissions container terminal at Pier S, which, if approved, would handle up to 1.8 million TEUs annually. Looking ahead, Port leadership projected more than 9 million TEUs will move through Long Beach in 2026, making it one of the Port’s busiest years on record.
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The Port of Hueneme announced that its Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously voted Commissioner Jason T. Hodge as Board President for 2026. Mary Anne Rooney was elected Vice President, Jess Herrera will serve as Secretary, and outgoing President Jess Ramirez will continue on the board as a Commissioner. As Board President, Hodge will preside over meetings, help set strategic priorities, and represent the Port in engagements with partners. The press release notes that Hodge has professional training in emergency response and disaster management and has managed disaster operations involving more than $100 million in response and recovery efforts. The Board’s leadership for 2026 will focus on operational resilience, sustainability initiatives, workforce and economic development, and partnerships with the community and global trade partners.
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Don’t miss one of the most timely and relevant sessions at the 2026 AAPA Legislative Summit – From Harbors to the Hill – taking place March 4–6, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Keeping America’s Harbors Open: The Water Resources Development Act in 2026 will examine what’s at stake for port infrastructure, navigation dredging, and harbor maintenance as Congress begins work on WRDA 2026. This mainstage panel will walk through the WRDA process and timeline, outline key policy and funding priorities, and discuss how ports can engage early to ensure their needs are reflected. Speakers include Jason Block of Weeks Marine, William H. Hanson of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, and Cam Rahmn Spencer of Port Houston.
Register now to be part of this critical discussion in Washington, D.C.
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Ahead of AAPA’s March 2026 Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., we are soliciting nominations to recognize individuals whose contributions have significantly impacted public port authorities and maritime commerce across the Western Hemisphere with the Port Person of the Year. View previous winners and eligibility requirements here.
Please email the nominee’s name, headshot, and at least a one-paragraph long biography to gr@aapa-ports.org. Submissions are due Friday, January 30, 2026.
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Zach Williams
Bloomberg
Michael Angell
Journal of Commerce
Southern California hub moved record 9.9M TEUs in 2025
Stuart Chirls
Freightwaves
Maritime Professional
Maritime Executive
Peter Tirschwell
Journal of Commerce
Michael Copley
NPR
Judges ruled that three wind projects halted by the Trump administration can move forward. Still, reluctance to develop any new sites will be hard to overcome.
Clara Hudson and Yusuf Khan
Wall Street Journal
Reuters
Hadriana Lowenkron and Sara Sjolin
Bloomberg
AJOT
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Port Director; San Francisco, California; City and County of San Francisco
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15
Jan 2026
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Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time: 1:00-2:30 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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28
Jan 2026
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Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 3:00-4:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Ian Gansler, at igansler@ports.org.
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10
Feb 2026
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Dates: February 10-13, 2026
Location: Port of Long Beach
This four-day immersive program combines applied learning with daily guided tours of diverse port facilities. Participants will work in teams during the program to solve operational challenges and share insights. Interactive sessions will focus on terminal planning and development, cargo handling technologies, workforce management, and financial strategies, equipping attendees with practical tools to enhance operational effectiveness.
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10
Feb 2026
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Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison Melodie George at mgeorge@ports.org.
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10
Feb 2026
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Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Holden Haley, at hhaley@ports.org.
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4
Mar 2026
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Dates: March 4-6, 2026
Location: Washington, DC
The 2026 AAPA Legislative Summit is the premier port industry government affairs and advocacy forum held annually in Washington, D.C. The Summit brings together senior port executives from around the nation with federal government leadership to discuss issues important to one of our most critical national industries. AAPA plans and manages one-on-one meetings with congressional leadership for port executives during Capitol Hill Day as part of this essential event on the annual ports and congressional calendar.
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9
Mar 2026
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Date: Monday, March 9, 2026
Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET
For more information or a link to attend, please contact AAPA staff liaison, Shawn Balcomb, at sbalcomb@aapa-ports.org.
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