U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to keynote on April 6
American Association of Port Authorities — High-ranking government officials, policy influencers, port authority CEOs and senior staff from throughout the Western Hemisphere, along with a host of maritime industry leaders will converge on Washington, D.C., April 4-6, to participate in the 2016 Spring Conference of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas.
Among the conference highlights will be a keynote luncheon address by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on April 6; an April 5 luncheon to kick off Western Hemisphere Ports Day – celebrating the unity and value of seaports throughout the Americas; an analysis of the 2016 U.S. presidential election by political columnist and commentator Charlie Cook; an interactive conversation on planning and coordinating the multimodal freight system between Maj. Gen. Ed Jackson, Deputy Commanding General for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil and Emergency Operations, Capt. Paul “Chip” Jaenichen, U.S. Maritime Administrator, and Bud Wright, Executive Director for the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO); and perspectives on FAST Act implementation from Vinn White, Deputy Assistant Secretary at USDOT, Roger Bohnert, Deputy Executive Director of USDOT’s Build America Transportation Investment Center (BATIC), and Rolf Schmitt, Deputy Director of USDOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research & Technology at the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In addition, the annual event will feature discussions on the new International Maritime Organization container weight verification requirement; customizing messaging on economic impacts and jobs; changing energy demands and policies; port cyber and physical security needs and priorities; and leading port industry initiatives on environmental stewardship. Day one of the two-day program will also include member-only meetings of port directors, regional port delegations, along with executive and technical committees.
“In addition to having Secretary Foxx as our keynote speaker and kicking off Western Hemisphere Ports Day as a way to recognize the value of a unified seaports industry, we’re looking forward to the many informative and provocative discussions at this year’s Spring Conference,” said AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle. “At the April 6 luncheon, AAPA will announce the results of our 2016-2020 Port Planned Infrastructure Investment Survey. We’ll showcase the amounts U.S. ports and their private-sector partners plan to invest in port authority-related infrastructure and relate that to the amounts their federal partners need to invest in the land and waterside connections to those ports. I think the results will be surprising.”
For more information about AAPA’s 2016 Spring Conference agenda and speakers, click here.
- WHO: Hosted by American Association of Port Authorities and co-sponsored by TD Bank, Canadian National Railway, WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff, Boyden Global Executive Search, Saul Ewing, LLP, and the Port of New Orleans
- WHAT: AAPA’s 2016 Spring Conference event
- WHEN: Tuesday and Wednesday, April 5-6
- WHERE: Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel, 999 Ninth Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
- MEDIA: Professional journalists representing bona-fide media outlets may register for complimentary access to open business sessions (April 5, 12:30pm – 4:45pm and April 6, 8:30am – 4:30pm) by emailing Aaron Ellis at aellis@aapa-ports.org and requesting a media badge.
About AAPA
Founded in 1912, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is the recognized and coordinated voice of seaports in the Americas. Our trade association represents more than 150 public port authorities in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition, association members include more than 300 sustaining and associate firms and individuals with an interest in the seaports of the Western Hemisphere. AAPA is dedicated to strengthening the ability of member ports to serve their global customers and create economic and social value for their communities. AAPA promotes the common interests of the port community, and provides leadership on trade, transportation, environmental and other issues related to port development and operations. AAPA also raises awareness among the public, media, and policy makers about the essential role ports play within the global transportation system. AAPA headquarters is located in Alexandria, Virginia, approximately 5 miles south of Reagan National Airport, at 1010 Duke Street. The staff includes 14 full-time, and three part-time, employees. AAPA’s annual budget is approximately $2.7 million. AAPA is governed by its 10-member Executive Committee and 52-member Board of Directors. AAPA has 12 technical and three policy committees; there are 350 individual corporate and almost 200 individual associate members on the committees.
Click here to find out more about AAPA's Awareness Initiative
American Association of Port Authorities
1010 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3589
T: 703.684.5700 F: 703.684.6321 E: info@aapa-ports.org
