AAPA Seaports Advisory

April 6, 2023

2023 Legislative Summit Wrap Up

AAPA’s annual Legislative Summit: Strong Ports, Strong America convened last week in Washington, D.C. The summit attracted hundreds of attendees from all regions of the country who came together to hear from top leaders in maritime transportation, government agencies, and the Executive and Legislative branches of the U.S. government.

The four-day event featured a host of expert panels, federal policy and government discussions, and topics addressing coastal navigation, conservation, infrastructure investments, port electrification, and offshore wind, as well as a day on Capitol Hill. AAPA also presented USDOT with the Port Person of the Year Award, which was accepted by Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg. The association also honored Tim McNamara posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Among the summit highlights were remarks emphasizing the importance of the nation's ports by high-ranking government leaders including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, and Port and Supply Chain Envoy Gen. Stephen R. Lyons (U.S. Army Ret.).

Read additional highlights from the Legislative Summit in these news stories by Dan Ronan, Transport Topics; Noël Fletcher, Transport Topics; John Gallagher, Freight Waves; and Jerry Hagstrom, The Fencepost.

AAPA extends its thanks and appreciation for the support of this year's 2023 Legislative Summit Sponsors!

Center for Advances in Port Management, Lamar University

Cargo Statistics: New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced it moved the most cargo in the nation in February 2023 and year-to-date in 2023. In February, traditionally the slowest time of the year for all U.S. ports due to overseas production slowdowns and closures related to the Lunar New Year holiday, the port remained busy by moving 571,177 TEUs. For the first two months of 2023, the port also was the busiest in the nation having moved a total of 1,216,607 TEUs.

Battery Electric Forklift: Taylor

Taylor Machine Works, Inc. announced its new ZERO vehicle emissions battery electric forklift, marking another major step in the drive to electrification across the heavy industrial material handling sector. Battery electric material handling equipment is not new to Taylor, as they showcased the first two electric container handlers in October 2019 at the Port of Los Angeles on Clean Air Day.

Harbor Tours: Long Beach

Beginning in May, the Port of Long Beach will once again host free harbor tours, offering the public a chance to visit the sights and sounds of the nation’s largest seaport complex. During the 90-minute narrated excursions, hear about how the Port of Long Beach impacts the local, regional and national economies, get close to some of the biggest ships in the world, learn about the port’s drive to zero-emissions operations, and take pictures of amazing machinery and local marine life.

Liner Service: Freeport

A new direct liner service of Oceanus Line is now providing an efficient all-water link between key seaports of Mexico and Colombia and the dynamic U.S. ports of Seaport Manatee on the Florida Gulf Coast and Port Freeport on the Texas Gulf Coast. Oceanus Line’s X-Press Cotopaxi offers attractive import and export opportunities via a pair of fast-growing, uncongested U.S. Gulf gateways, with inland rail and truck reach encompassing Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, and Midwest markets.

Migratory Birds Conservation: Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay, along with Audubon Florida, reminds boaters to be respectful and aware of wildlife during the 2023-nesting season. Globally significant populations of migratory birds nest on the port’s two dredge material management areas and spoil islands in Hillsborough Bay throughout the summer.

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Port Career Fair: San Diego

The Port of San Diego, in collaboration with its waterfront tenants, is hosting the first ever People of the Port Career Fair to help people in the region find their next career opportunities. The Port of San Diego is an indispensable economic engine in the San Diego region, supporting more than 64,000 good paying jobs and injecting $9.2 billion into the county’s economy (source: 2019 Economic Impact Report).

Port People: Long Beach

After 24 years of service to the Port of Long Beach, Rick Cameron, Deputy Executive Director of Planning and Development has resigned to pursue the next phase of his professional career. Rick shared, “It has been a privilege and honor to work for the City of Long Beach and the Port of Long Beach.”

Summer Internship Program: Palm Beach

The Port of Palm Beach is offering a summer internship to students with an interest in learning about the port industry. The six-week paid internship program will introduce interns to various career fields within the port industry and teach them valuable skills that can easily translate to any career.

Wind Project Cargo: Brownsville

The Port of Brownsville remains a leader in the movement of wind energy components, thanks to its logistical capabilities and strategic location along the U.S.-Mexico border. During the first quarter of 2023, five vessels exported wind project cargo to South America, moving more than 80 windmill blades.