Legislative Policy Council News

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – a trade group representing ports throughout the Western Hemisphere – today at its 103rd Annual Convention and Expo in Houston honored three port industry leaders. Receiving AAPA’s Distinguished Service Award were former Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani and Dr. Bory Steinberg, founder and principal of the water resources advisory firm of Steinberg & Associates, and a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program chief. Receiving AAPA’s ImPORTant Service Award was Port of Everett (Wash.) CEO John Mohr. Recipients of the association’s Distinguished Service Award are honored for their dedicated efforts toward the enrichment of the maritime and port industries throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Kurt Nagle needs no introduction to MarineNews readers. With more than 30 years of experience in seaports and international trade, he has since 1995 served as President and Chief Executive Officer for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). Mr. Nagle began working at AAPA, the alliance of the leading public port authorities throughout the Western Hemisphere, in 1985. And, although some may associate him more with ‘bluewater’ issues, Nagle also knows that the health of all U.S.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) lauded Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and David Vitter (R-La.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, for their leadership in advancing S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (WRDA), through the Senate. The legislation was passed by a vote of 83-14. “AAPA commends Senators Boxer and Vitter on their leadership in advancing this legislation to spur vitally needed maintenance and improvements in America’s seaport related infrastructure and waterways…

Several key actions were taken by the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) Legislative Policy Council (LPC) at its 92nd annual convention being held this week in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. The LPC is comprised of port directors representing each region of AAPA’s U.S. Delegation. Port security continues to be one of the highest priorities for AAPA. Actions taken in this area relate to Federal funding and limited liability. Highlights include the following. · A call for $400 million in Federal funding for the Transportation Security Administrations (TSA) port security grant program in the FY ’05 Federal budget. The FY’04 level is expected only to be $125 million, while the Coast Guard projects the cost to be $1.125 billion in the first year.

In response to the growing trend of state laws regulating ballast water discharges from ships, U.S. ports plan to develop a legislative proposal that would: 1) establish a strong Federal ballast water management program; and, 2) preempt state legislation in this area. During the Monday, October 16, meeting of AAPA's U.S. Legislative Policy Council (USLPC) representing the Association's 84 U.S. port members, Chairman of the Board J. Robert Bray, Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority, led the discussion of concepts for legislation in the area of ballast water and introduction of nonindigenous species. The USLPC voted unanimously to adopt the position which reflects Association members' growing concern over the development of new regulations in this area.

At its U.S. Legislative Policy Council meeting last week in Norfolk, VA, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) got approval from its member ports to advocate for setting new, tougher standards for air emissions from both foreign and domestic ships. The emissions-limiting agenda sought by AAPA follows a U.S. government proposal for more stringent international rules for ocean-going vessels. Susan Monteverde, AAPA's government relations vice president indicated that the AAPA recommended and its members approved the Association to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support its proposal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adopt more stringent vessel emission requirements as part of the international MARPOL Annex VI treaty.

U.S. public port authorities discussed the need for Federal legislation and continued Federal funding for maritime security. They urged Congress to appropriate additional funds for Fiscal Year ’03 during their Legislative Policy Council (LPC) meeting on Monday, September 23, 2002. Port authorities are meeting this week at the 91st Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. John A. Flaherty, Chief of Staff of the Department of Transportation, said during remarks at a luncheon today that ports have an historic opportunity to influence reauthorization of the Transportation Efficiency Act (TEA 21) next year, when the current legislation expires in September.

Agustin Díaz, deputy general manager of the Curaçao Ports Authority, Inc., was installed as Chairman of the Board of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) during the September 26th Annual Membership Meeting at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL. Díaz succeeded as Chairman of the Board Dick Steinke, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “We’re pleased to have Agustin lead the Association on behalf of AAPA’s Latin American delegation,” said Kurt J. Nagle, AAPA President. “He will be working to help connect and build stronger relationships between our 150 port members who come from more than 30 countries and speak a variety of languages. Before joining the Curaçao Ports Authority, Díaz was the commissioner of the island government in charge of ports.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) honored Davis Helberg, Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, with its ImPORTant Service Award, during a September 26 luncheon at the AAPA’s 91st Annual Convention at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. “We honor Davis for his experience, knowledge, leadership, eloquence and dedication,” said Chairman of the Board Dick Steinke, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach, who presented the award. “He is widely respected for his knowledge of the public port industry. Davis’ counsel and insights, and literary skills, are unmatched by anyone in our industry. Individual recipients must have served on one or more of AAPA's technical or policy committees for a minimum of ten years…

U.S. ports got confirmation at its Annual Convention meeting from a just-released General Accounting Office (GAO) Report that both the number and the dollar amount of fees assessed on the maritime industry have increased since the last study was released in 1993. The GAO Report, Federal Assessments on the Maritime Industry, states 11 federal agencies collect 124 different fees and assessments on maritime commerce, for a total of almost $22 billion ($21 billion of which is collected by U.S. Customs alone). Total collections have increased from $18.2 billion in fiscal 1991 to $21.9 billion in fiscal 1998. "This confirms what we've been saying for years: Shippers, vessel owners, operators, importers and exporters are already heavily taxed," said Kurt J. Nagle, AAPA president.

U.S. ports got confirmation at its Annual Convention meeting from a just-released General Accounting Office (GAO) Report that both the number and the dollar amount of fees assessed on the maritime industry have increased since the last study was released in 1993. The GAO Report, Federal Assessments on the Maritime Industry, states 11 federal agencies collect 124 different fees and assessments on maritime commerce, for a total of almost $22 billion ($21 billion of which is collected by U.S. Customs alone). Total collections have increased from $18.2 billion in fiscal 1991 to $21.9 billion in fiscal 1998. "This confirms what we've been saying for years: Shippers, vessel owners, operators, importers and exporters are already heavily taxed," said Kurt J. Nagle, AAPA president.