News Release
FOR RELEASE - December 20, 2016
Contact: Aaron Ellis, Public Affairs Director, aellis@aapa-ports.org
703-684-5700
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
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Shifting international trade patterns create a complex scenario for urban, regional and transportation planners. In an era of trade policy uncertainty, vessel overcapacity, volatile ocean freight rates, and pressures to reduce costs at the same time that larger ships are seeking to call at America’s seaports, it’s forcing transportation planners to demand higher capacity road and rail freight connections, deeper harbors, bigger cranes and sturdier berths.
To address these issues, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of America's seaports – is holding its 10th annual Planning for Shifting Trade conference at the Marriott Tampa Waterside hotel, in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 2-3, 2017. Hosted by Port Tampa Bay, the program is co-sponsored by AAPA and the Transportation Research Board (TRB), in partnership with the American Planning Association Florida Chapter and in cooperation with the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd).
“The 2017 Planning for Shifting Trade program began in Tampa in 2008 and is now one of AAPA’s best attended annual conferences,” said Jean Godwin, AAPA executive vice president and general counsel. “It focuses on the recent changes and turbulence in today’s international trading environment, and provides a variety of expert viewpoints to examine the issues from different perspectives.”
Seminar presentations will address cargo forecasting, international trade issues and impacts, and important trends and variables like global trade demand and its effects on domestic exports. Planning-related sessions, which are approved for certification maintenance credits for American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) designees, will address best practices in master planning and regional planning and port cooperation.
Conference speakers will include:
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About Port Tampa Bay
Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest port and the largest economic engine in west central Florida, supporting over 85,000 jobs and generating more than $17 billion in annual economic impact. In addition to being a top 10 U.S. cruise port, the port handles a wide array of bulk, break bulk, containers and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and is a major shipbuilding and repair center. Port Tampa Bay was named Port Operator of the Year for 2016 by Lloyd’s List
About AAPA
Founded in 1912, AAPA today represents 140 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 250 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. According to IHS World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2014 totaled 3.48 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.75 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.68 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.36 trillion, while North American ports handled 1.79 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.39 trillion. To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable. For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org. On Twitter: http://twitter.com/AAPA_Seaports
