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Thank you!
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This week, 200 attendees representing 60 ports gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2026 AAPA Legislative Summit, bringing together port leaders and policymakers to discuss the priorities shaping America’s maritime industry.
During Capitol Hill Day, more than 100 port leaders participated in over 50 meetings with members of Congress and their staff, advocating for policies and investments that support U.S. ports and strengthen the nation’s supply chain.
The Summit featured six keynote speakers from Congress, including Arizona Senator Mike Kelly, Rep. Mike Ezell, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Val Hoyle, and Rep. Pete Stauber.
During the event, AAPA also recognized Rep. Mike Ezell as the 2026 Port Person of the Year for his leadership and support of policies that advance America’s ports and the maritime industry.
The Legislative Summit continues through tomorrow, with additional programming and networking opportunities.
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The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority will host the Detroit River Youth Career Expo on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at its headquarters along the Detroit Riverwalk. Launched in 2024, the annual event introduces young people to education and career pathways connected to maritime, environmental, and water-related industries. Attendees will have opportunities to meet recruiters, explore training programs, tour docked working vessels, and connect with university faculty and local employers. The event is open to Metro-Detroit youth ages 15–25, as well as teachers and families, with lunch provided for registered youth participants.
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The Port of South Louisiana held a ribbon cutting to celebrate completion of the new Globalplex Dock Access Bridge, a project funded by the Federal Maritime Administration and the State of Louisiana’s Capital Outlay program. The bridge provides a second connection between Globalplex’s main facility and its primary dock on the Mississippi River, creating redundancy that ensures continued dock access if one bridge becomes unavailable. The structure is designed to support 1,000 pounds per square foot, allowing fully loaded trailer trucks and heavy or oversized equipment to move safely through the facility. The additional bridge also enables a circular truck traffic pattern, reducing congestion and improving cargo loading and unloading efficiency.
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The Port Authority of Guam’s Master Plan 2025 is moving forward in the Bureau of Statistics and Plans public hearing process, with a hearing scheduled for March 25, 2026, at the Port Authority of Guam Board Conference Room. The plan reflects the port’s previously adopted Master Plan 2023, which was later amended to incorporate Zero-Emission and Zero-Waste resiliency and sustainability goals. The Master Plan outlines a strategy for modernization, sustainability, and resiliency at the Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port, including investments in wharf expansion and rehabilitation, ship-to-shore crane replacements, fuel pier upgrades, digital transformation, and climate adaptation projects. The plan also includes a Port Improvement Program consisting of a Port Readiness Plan and a Sustainability Plan to support operational readiness, environmental initiatives, and long-term infrastructure improvements.
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At its February 19 meeting, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority advanced several initiatives aimed at strengthening reliability across terminals, cranes, and critical systems. Port Houston reported its largest January container volume on record, a 4% increase from the same month last year, and noted continued container growth over the past decade. The port also offloaded four new fully electric ship-to-shore cranes and placed ten of its 16 new rubber-tired gantry cranes into service. Commissioners approved construction of Wharf 1 at the Bayport Container Terminal, which will add 1,300 linear feet of wharf space and is scheduled for completion in 2028, as well as technology investments to enhance operational resiliency, security, and system reliability.
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The Port of Oakland handled 195,897 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in January 2026, representing a 1.4% increase compared to January 2025 and a 9.1% rise from December 2025. Growth was driven primarily by imports, with loaded imports totaling 85,457 TEUs, up 4.9% year over year and 15.4% from the previous month. Total import volume reached 100,482 TEUs, increasing 6.8% from January 2025. Loaded exports totaled 64,510 TEUs, down 0.3% year over year, while overall export volume, including empty containers, reached 95,415 TEUs. The port recorded 88 vessel calls in January, with an average container exchange of approximately 2,226 TEUs per vessel.
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The Port of Virginia has received its 23rd consecutive River Star Business Award for Sustained Distinguished Performance from the Elizabeth River Project, recognizing ongoing efforts to protect the health of the Elizabeth River and Norfolk Harbor. The award highlights the port’s initiatives in pollution prevention, stormwater control, habitat restoration, and carbon emissions reduction. Recognized efforts include replacing 17 aging diesel trucks through the GO-Zero truck program, deploying 12 electric forklifts at Virginia International Gateway, and reducing emissions through cleaner engines, electric vehicles, and a thrice-weekly barge service. The River Star program selects recipients through peer review of documented environmental performance and encourages initiatives that reduce pollution and conserve wildlife habitat.
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The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO Program has launched a one-month voluntary ship slowdown trial in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass during March to help protect endangered southern resident killer whales. The initiative involves more than 70 marine transportation organizations slowing vessels or moving away from key whale habitats to reduce underwater noise from commercial shipping. Research shows vessel slowdowns can reduce underwater noise by up to 50%, lower the risk of whale strikes by nearly one-third, and cut air emissions by about a quarter. The March trial complements the ECHO Program’s existing seasonal measures, which run from June through November and include slowdowns in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and Swiftsure Bank, along with a tugboat route alteration in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
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This unique event brings together port leaders, sustainability experts, and technology innovators to explore the strategies and technologies shaping the future of ports. From decarbonization and infrastructure resilience to AI, automation, and digital transformation, POWERS + Smart Ports will spotlight the ideas and solutions driving the next generation of port operations.
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Port Director; San Francisco, California; City and County of San Francisco
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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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11
May 2026
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Dates: May 11–14, 2026
Location: Tampa, FL
The 2026 AAPA POWERS + Smart Ports Summit & Expo brings together port leaders and industry professionals from around the world to explore the intersection of energy, resilience, sustainability, and emerging technologies shaping the future of ports. The event features discussions on topics ranging from decarbonization and climate resilience to digital innovation, AI, and smart port solutions.
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