Port & Government Officials To Tackle Maritime Security, Technology, Legal Issues In New Orleans, July 20-22

Security is one of the highest priorities for seaports throughout the Western Hemisphere. Protecting the people and cargo that move through these international shipping hubs and their surrounding communities is essential for ensuring public safety and keeping regional and national economies intact.

To better enable seaports and their maritime partners to manage today's complex security issues, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) will hold its annual Port Security Seminar and Exposition July 20-22 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, hosted by the Port of New Orleans.

Among the topics to be discussed are legal issues and jurisdictions related to seaport crime; challenges of implementing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC); and emerging trends in port security technology. In addition, the program will feature a federal roundtable discussion on port security featuring the Department of Homeland Security Port Security Program Section Chief Julian D. Gilman; lessons learned from the Gulf oil spill crisis last year; and security implications surrounding this year's nuclear disaster in Japan.

Safe and secure seaport facilities are absolutely fundamental to protecting our citizens and national borders, and for moving the goods we all depend on every day, said Kurt Nagle, AAPA's president and CEO. AAPA and its member ports collaborate with both government officials and private-sector security experts to maintain and enhance seaport security.

According to Gary LaGrange, the Port of New Orleans' president, ensuring the integrity of the supply chain requires a concerted effort by ports, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and maritime industry stakeholders. Protecting ports from both natural and man-made disasters is an increasingly complex issue. Conferences like this one help protect our ports by coordinating the efforts of all the parties who have a stake in keeping commerce flowing, said Mr. LaGrange.

More information about AAPA's 2011 Port Security Seminar is available at http://www.aapa-ports.org/ (click on the Programs & Events tab and look under Current Seminar and Workshop Schedule) or by clicking http://www.aapa-ports.org/Programs/seminarschedule.cfm?itemnumber=17564

WHO: American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), hosted by the Port of New Orleans.

WHAT: Maritime security seminar focusing on seaport security trends, technologies, policies and legislation.

WHEN: Wednesday - Friday, July 20-22, 2010 (Day 1, 8:30am-5:00pm; Day 2, 9:00 am-5:00pm; Day 3, 9:00am-noon).

WHERE: Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 2 Poydras Street, New Orleans, La., 70130; Phone: (504) 561-0500 or (800) 445-8667; Fax: (504) 568-1721 (note: AAPA room block cut-off is June 28 for $159/night).

MEDIA: Credentialed journalists interested in covering the seminar for media purposes are asked to contact Aaron Ellis, aellis@aapa-ports.org, to obtain a media pass.

About Port of New Orleans

The Port of New Orleans is one of America's leading general cargo ports. It is the only deepwater seaport in the U.S. served by six Class One railroads. This gives port users direct and economical rail service to or from anywhere in the country. In the past 10 years, the Port of New Orleans has invested more than $400 million in new state-of-the-art facilities. Improved breakbulk and container terminals feature new multipurpose cranes, expanded marshalling yards and a new roadway to handle truck traffic. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans is committed to building a port that will serve the needs of the global marketplace well into the new century.

About AAPA

Founded in 1912, AAPA today represents 160 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 300 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. As a critical link for access to the global marketplace, each year, Western Hemisphere seaports generate trillions of dollars of economic activity, support the employment of millions of people and, in 2008, imported and exported more than 7.8 billion tons of cargo, valued at $8.6 trillion, including food, clothing, medicine, fuel and building materials, as well as consumer electronics and toys. The volume of cargo shipped by water is expected to dramatically increase by 2020 and the number of passengers traveling through our seaports will continue to grow. To meet these demands, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable.

Click here to find out more about AAPA's Awareness Initiative.