Annual event features Western Hemisphere’s largest gathering of seaport and maritime transportation professionals
Among the business sessions to be featured at the 108th Annual Convention and Expo of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) … the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas … will be a pair of concurrent sessions that focus on liquified natural gas (LNG) and non-marine terminal port developments.
“LNG has been used successfully and safely as a fuel for power generation for many decades,” said Stephen Cadden, chief operating officer for SEA/LNG and the discussion leader for the LNG concurrent session. “It’s use as a marine fuel is developing fast. The benefits of LNG are providing ship owners an unprecedented opportunity for a new, more competitive, safe and environmentally friendly marine fuel that complies with IMO 2020 and provides the basis for a pathway to lower carbon shipping.”
Mr. Cadden said he’ll begin his session by providing an overview of LNG’s growth as a marine fuel globally, as well as in the Americas. Then he’ll introduce Tim Nolan, president and CEO of TOTE Inc., who will describe TOTE’s successful journey and experience developing and operating the world’s first LNG-fueled container vessels.
In a nearby room, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griffith Lynch and JLL Ports, Airports & Global Infrastructure Managing Director, Economist and Chief Strategist Dr. Walter Kemmsies will engage their audience on a different topic … how ports can play a leadership role in encouraging and facilitating development of warehouses, distribution centers and other ventures outside a port’s shipping terminals that impact the flow of goods through the port.
“Seaports are the nexus of trade gateways that have five components: waterways, ports, railways, roadways and industrial real estate,” said Mr. Lynch, the session’s discussion leader. “Outside of leading efforts to dredge waterways in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and investing in infrastructure on their own real estate, ports have to cooperate with railroads, departments of transportation and industrial real estate developers to ensure that capacity across the gateway expands in a coordinated way.”
He noted that it doesn’t benefit any segment of the gateway if there’s over- or under-investment, since both lead to capacity bottlenecks.
“Encouraging industrial real estate investment is the most difficult part of leading a coordinated and balanced capacity expansion across the gateway,” explained Dr. Kemmsies, the session’s lead presenter. “Historical events live in the memory of investors. Port authorities need to educate and assure investors while not showing favoritism.”
Dr. Kemmsies said he plans to go through some of the trends impacting port gateways, as well as some trends in industrial real estate before citing some brief case studies. In his final case study, he’ll call on GPA’s Mr. Lynch to join him in discussing a scenario focusing on the Port of Savannah.
Among the top-level sponsoring organizations for AAPA’s 2019 convention are The Propeller Club of the United States-Port of Norfolk, and engineering firms Moffatt & Nichol and WSP.
“Moffatt & Nichol is excited to sponsor this year’s AAPA annual convention in Norfolk. We’ve had a long-lasting relationship with the convention’s host, The Port of Virginia, and look forward to supporting what has always been one of the most forward-looking port facilities in the nation,” said Moffatt & Nichol Vice President Dick Steinke. “We’re always proud to participate in the annual AAPA convention, this year as a Panamax-level sponsor. Year after year, the conference has proven to be the premiere event for leaders in the seaport industry.”
Blair Garcia, PPM®, vice president and deputy director of WSP’s U.S. Maritime Division, said: “WSP remains steadfast in our commitment to help AAPA and its member ports with crucial ‘Future Ready’ initiatives such as the PPM® (Port Professional Manager) certification program, the Port Planning & Investment Toolkit, and The Port of Virginia’s modernization strategy. With the addition of Berger ABAM’s Maritime practice, we’re expanding our help to the AAPA and more ports across the Americas.”
Dana Truxell, 2019 president of the Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Norfolk, also weighed in, saying: “We proudly support AAPA as a Panamax-level sponsor for the 2019 convention, hosted by The Port of Virginia. Our membership is represented in all aspects of the maritime industry and this event aligns with our core mission of fostering an environment to network, discuss and collaborate. We’re dedicated to the enhancement and well-being of all interests of the maritime community here in Hampton Roads, and within our sister ports around the United States.”
The convention’s three-day business program features a robust agenda, with industry leaders and subject matter experts focusing on topics ranging from ports as economic development engines, to technology and big data, cargo transportation efficiency, trade policy, emergency response and cybersecurity.
