By Tom Ewing (gCaptain) – The American Association of Port Authorities concluded its annual convention in New Orleans on Wednesday, attracting a record attendance of over 900 participants from more than 90 ports.
During the three-day event, a key theme emerged: the federal government is eager for maritime infrastructure projects to progress more quickly.
AAPA President and CEO Sang Yi kicked off the convention by noting the impressive turnout, which brought together port leaders, federal officials, and maritime industry experts at a time when Washington is emphasizing U.S. shipbuilding, port infrastructure, and the maritime industrial base.
Speakers included Maritime Administrator Capt. Stephen Carmel, Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba, Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security Aris Kourkoumelis, and officials from the Departments of Transportation and Commerce.
The agenda covered topics like federal infrastructure grants, workforce development, shipbuilding investment, nuclear power, and dredging.
One highly discussed session focused on the Maritime Administration's efforts to explore small modular nuclear reactors as a potential power source for ports and future commercial vessels.
The Port of Long Beach is collaborating with MARAD and Bluecore Energy to investigate this technology as the port gears up for a substantial increase in electricity demand.
Hacegaba mentioned that the port currently uses enough electricity to power about 79,000 homes, with projections suggesting that could rise to the equivalent of approximately 150,000 homes by 2050.
“We’re exploring every available option,” said Hacegaba.
Similarly, the Port of Corpus Christi is working with MARAD and CORE POWER to assess the applicability of floating nuclear power plants and future nuclear-powered commercial vessels.
These discussions come as ports are facing increasing power requirements due to terminal electrification, shore power, cargo-handling equipment, and other infrastructure needs.
The urgency of speeding up projects was another prominent topic.
During a session on federal grants, Sydney Plante from MARAD expressed the pressing need felt by federal officials: “We don’t want to miss our chance.”
Commerce Department official Andrew Farquharson pointed out foreign investments from South Korea and Japan targeting U.S. maritime and manufacturing projects, while also emphasizing workforce development and federal research funding for advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and automated welding in shipbuilding.
The call for faster project delivery continued on the final day of the convention when high-ranking federal officials discussed plans to improve the review and scheduling processes for dredging projects.
Lee Forsgren, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, mentioned that the Army Corps of Engineers is creating a new “national dredging framework” aimed at reducing delays and optimizing the U.S. dredging fleet’s capabilities.
“We want to focus on building infrastructure, not paperwork,” Forsgren told attendees.
A significant change may include moving from a sequential agency review system to concurrent evaluations.
“The era of linear evaluations is ending,” Forsgren stated.
The Army Corps is also exploring ways to plan dredging projects more effectively on a regional level.
Forsgren highlighted instances where a dredge would work in South Carolina, travel to Rhode Island, and return to Florida, suggesting that better regional coordination could minimize unnecessary vessel movements and make fuller use of the available dredging capacity.
Questions regarding U.S. dredging capacity are becoming increasingly critical as ports aim to deepen and widen channels for larger vessels and enhance their competitive edge for cargo.
Forsgren indicated that the perceived shortage of dredging capacity might stem from inefficiencies in scheduling projects rather than a lack of equipment.
NOAA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Erik Noble reported that his agency is also increasing collaboration with the Army Corps as part of what officials are calling a “whole of government” approach.
“We’re picking up the phone and communicating directly,” Noble noted.
Forsgren cited the dredging needed before the July 4 Tall Ships events in New York as a success story, as NOAA managed to complete the necessary review within about 30 hours, allowing the project to proceed.
“That’s the kind of cooperation we’re aiming for,” Forsgren said. “That’s how this is supposed to function.”
Additionally, the Army Corps is developing a mapping tool for the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) to give project developers a clearer understanding of federal jurisdiction over waterways. Forsgren mentioned that an initial version of the tool is expected in around 18 months, with later updates providing more detail.
Overall, the discussions in New Orleans illustrated the broad scope of the current U.S. maritime initiative.
While shipbuilding remains a central focus, port officials are increasingly being asked to consider surrounding infrastructure, including deeper channels, greater electrical capacity, new energy sources, expanded facilities, and a skilled workforce to support them.
The consistent message from federal officials at AAPA was clear: they want these projects to proceed more swiftly than in the past.