Wilmington, N.C. – North Carolina Ports is excited to announce the addition of maritime industry veteran Benjamin M. Massa as the new Director of Carrier and Trade Development. At North Carolina Ports, Massa will apply his extensive experience to further grow and expand container business at the Port of Wilmington.

“Ben brings a wealth of experience from leadership roles in port development, ocean carrier trade management, as well as agency operations and management,” said NC Ports Vice President, Trade Development Hans Bean. “NC Ports has experienced monumental growth in container business in the last year and Ben’s vital role will allow us to continue that growth today and into the future.”

Massa brings decades of expertise in the maritime industry with him to NC Ports. Prior to his role as Director of Carrier and Trade Development, Massa served as Commercial Director, AVP Sales and Marketing for United Arab Agencies, Inc. During his time with UAAI, Massa was responsible for all import and export Sales and Marketing activities for UASC in the Americas cluster. While with UAAI, the company’s fourth quarter 2016 year-over-year export volumes grew 48% while import volumes grew 21%. Massa also led UASC into the trans-Pacific trade resulting in an overall volume increase of 55%, catapulting UASC as an emerging ocean carrier. In addition to his time with UAAI, Massa spent six years with the Jacksonville Port Authority where he was directly responsible for developing new carrier, terminal operating and cargo business opportunities for the Authority resulting in over 26% growth.

“I am very excited to be joining the NC Ports commercial team. The Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City are growing at an incredible pace and are poised for even greater success. I am looking forward to working with maritime interests from this side of the supply chain,” said Massa.

North Carolina’s Ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, plus inland terminals in Charlotte and in Greensboro, link the state’s consumers, businesses and industry to world markets, and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry to the State of North Carolina. Port activities contribute statewide to more than 76,000 jobs and $700 million each year in state and local tax revenues.