Ports and shippers must remain vigilant

While supply chain velocity is always a shipper concern, cargo security remains one of the highest priorities for seaports throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Nor are the two issues mutually exclusive. We have now seen that more transparency and greater vigilance can actually enhance the movement of goods in and out of our entrepots.

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. 

As our readers know, LM is heavily reliant on AAPA expertise when it comes to providing updates on “best port practices.”

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 LaGrange.

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