Features

The constantly shifting landscape of world energy production is having an impact on every sector, as new technologies emerge and social priorities evolve. For ports, there are two main implications. By Sarah B. Hood The constantly shifting landscape of world energy production is having an impact on every sector, as new technologies emerge and social priorities evolve. For ports, there ...

Winning Is Not the Same as Succeeding — AAPA’s Spring Conference began this year on the night of the NCAA men’s basketball championship. For sports fans, it was the best kind of game – two well-matched teams playing high caliber basketball in a close game that didn’t break toward the winner until nearly the end. North Carolina went home elated ...

The easiest way to pull the rug out from under a port’s success is to ignore stakeholders. Seaports need informed, supportive allies to set the stage for almost any project or initiative. By Lori Musser The easiest way to pull the rug out from under a port’s success is to ignore stakeholders. Seaports need informed, supportive allies to set the ...

Maintaining coastal property for maritime activities is critical to ports’ success and requires ports to find allies and partners in other levels of government, the community and the private sector to succeed. By Candace Gibson It’s a delicate balance to maintain a working waterfront and nurture relationships with parties who want a piece of valuable maritime real estate. Ports are ...

Mentoring and teaching the next generation of leaders should be a simple progression if you’ve started the process early and have a plan in place. That is where succession planning comes in. By Sandy Smith A decade or so ago, Gary LaGrange was sitting in a long-term strategic planning session, looking around the room of senior managers and assistant senior ...

Coordination among port police and technology personnel is critical for physical and cybersecurity, and partnerships between ports, terminal operators and others are necessary for successful security. By Barry Parker Security continues to be an important concern throughout the maritime world, with the challenges steadily broadening throughout all touchpoints for industrial supply chains or passenger movements through ports. The security scope ...

By Kurt J. Nagle, President & CEO, AAPA LEADING THE SUPPLY CHAIN FROM WITHIN Sometimes it’s hard to see from end to end of the supply chain. Take a seemingly simple commodity like road salt used to treat highways during winter storms. Salt is harvested from all over the world and shipped to North America. It seems straightforward: The salt ...

By Sandy Smith PORTS’ POWER AS CONVENERS: SUPPLY CHAIN LEADERSHIP ROLE IS A NATURAL FIT The world of shipping is undergoing a sea change with consolidation, larger ships and economic pressures. And that’s just the water side. On land, the same financial pressures await. So what role can a port play in solving these broader supply chain issues? A lot. Take ...

By Michael Fickes FAST ACT IMPACT The FAST Act has provided $11 billion to build a freight transportation network. Connecting seaports to highways is a key part of that effort. In 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Observers say that the measure is of vital importance to the freight industry. Just as the Interstate Highway Act ...

By Candace Gibson FOLLOWING UP ON THE FUNDING TRAIL There are many reasons a port seeks funding for improvement projects. Perhaps its highway arteries are clogged, its warehouses are in need of repair, or its space is maxed out – and tenants want more. Everyday use and time take a toll on a port, and while there are budgets for ...