Port NOLA Names Beth Ann Branch President & CEO
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) Board of Commissioners has announced the appointment of Beth Ann Branch as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2024. Branch, a highly regarded expert in global maritime strategy with over 20 years of experience in transportation and logistics, will also serve as CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB). She succeeds Ronald Wendel Jr., who has been serving as Acting President and CEO during a crucial transitional phase, advancing significant projects such as the $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal."After a comprehensive
Maritime Employers: Working to Find Workers
Development Strategic Plan, with 10 priorities, including –Paid internships and payment for work experience;Financially supporting a Tacoma Public Schools certification program;Community engagement regarding maritime careers; andCareer exposure in elementary schools.Last December, port commissioners approved a contract with the training center Workforce Central to expand career pathways through paid work experiences or internships in the areas of building trades, manufacturing trades, maritime and logistics trades, and the environment.At the time, Port of Tacoma Commission President Kristin
Port of New Orleans CEO Brandy Christian to Step Down
February 1, 2018, during which time Port NOLA increased operating revenues by 70% and NOPB increased operating income by 300%."We cannot overstate the exemplary leadership that Brandy Christian has provided throughout her tenure," said Walter Leger, Jr., Chairman of the Port NOLA Board of Commissioners and the NOPB Commission. "Under Christian's guidance, Port NOLA has navigated through profound challenges and achieved remarkable successes. Chief among those successes is the leadership team that Christian has assembled and nurtured to carry Port NOLA and NOPB forward. Through her vision
Wiltshire Named Acting Director of Port Everglades
has been initiated for the next CEO and Port Director." Wiltshire has committed to continuing to serve the port in his permanent capacity as Deputy Port Director after the selection of a new Port Director has been made."I appreciate the confidence that Monica and the Board of County Commissioners have placed in me to step in as Acting Director, and I look forward to keeping the port on the progressive path set by Jonathan," Wiltshire said.Wiltshire joined Port Everglades in 2006 as the Deputy Port Director after his retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) as Captain of the Port
Carter Sworn In as Milwaukee Port Director
& Management and Professional Communication. She is a wife, mother, and minister who plays an integral role in reshaping the spiritual and socio-economic legacy of her family and community.Port Milwaukee is an economic entity of City government governed by the seven-member Board of Harbor Commissioners, a panel appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. It administers operations on the 467 acres that make up the Port. It promotes shipping and commerce throughout the region by providing access to domestic and international ships, rail, and over-the-road transportation
Trade Group Maritime UK Launches Green Skills Project
, ports, leisure marine, engineering, science, and professional services. The MSC, chaired by Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, reports directly into the Secretary of State (under the maritime brief) and Maritime UK National Council. Comprising of 19 Commissioners, the MSC has been tasked to deliver against seven main objectives which are aimed towards strengthening skills and employability in the UK maritime sector.CMN was established in 2002 by local marine businesses. Currently owned by over 300 local marine businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Chris Hughey Named FMC General Counsel
Phillip C. “Chris” Hughey has been hired as the General Counsel of the Federal Maritime Commission and appointed to be a member of the Senior Executive Service.In his capacity as General Counsel to the Commission, Hughey will provide legal advice and recommendations to the Chairman and Commissioners on regulatory and policy matters. He will serve as a member of the agency’s senior management team and will also be responsible for supervising the work of attorneys assigned to the Office of the General Counsel.Hughey began his career in public service in 1997 as an attorney in the Office
Port of New Orleans Board Elects Jensen as Chairman
Rhe Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) on Thursday elected Jack C. Jensen, Jr. to serve as Board Chairman, succeeding Charles H. Ponstein, whose term as Chairman ended this month. Also elected were Joseph F. Toomy, who will serve as Vice Chairman, and Walter J. Leger, Jr., who will serve as Secretary-Treasurer for the nine-month term.“Jack Jensen has brought decades of transportation and logistics experience to this board, and we look forward to his valuable contributions as chairman as we work to expand freight-based business throughout Port NOLA’s three-parish
Esteban Guerra Named BND Commission Chairman
Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Commissioner Esteban Guerra was unanimously appointed to serve as chairman of the BND Board of Commissioners during the board’s regular meeting held Wednesday, May 18, 2022.Guerra serves as chairman alongside BND Vice Chairman Ralph Cowen and BND Secretary of the Board John Wood, also unanimously appointed to serve as part of the executive board. Commissioners John Reed and Sergio Tito Lopez round out the board as assistant secretaries.Wood, Commissioner Place 2, and Guerra, Commissioner Place 4, were re-elected to the board in the BND election on May 7.
Port of Corpus Christi Names Takizawa Director of Trade Development
of customer relationships, new project initiatives and product diversification.“I am excited at the opportunity to join the Port of Corpus Christi, especially as it celebrates 100 years since it was established,” said Yudi Takizawa. “I look forward to working with staff, Port Commissioners and our customers to foster greater economic growth for the Coastal Bend region.”Takizawa spent 14 years with Vopak, most recently as Commercial Manager of Vopak Industrial Infrastructure (a joint venture between Vopak and BlackRock). Prior he acted as the Regional Marketing and Business
California Pilots Announce Training Program Exam
The Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun (BOPC) announced that its next Pilot Trainee Training Program Selection Examination will be held in June 2022 at the California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, Calif. Applications are due no later than April 15, 2022.The BOPC typically conducts maritime pilot trainee training program selection examinations every two to three years, or when there is a need for licensed pilots. The last examination was held in 2019. Candidates who are successful on the examination may be selected to enter the BOPC Pilot
Port of Gulfport Names Nass CEO
The Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) Board of Commissioners has named Jon Nass the new CEO and executive director of the Port of Gulfport, following a national search led by Tim McNamara, head of Odgers Berndtson’s Transportation and Infrastructure Practice in Washington, D.C. His tentative start date is June 1.“After nearly an eight-month process, the MSPA Commission is very pleased to announce we have selected a new executive director to lead the Port of Gulfport team,” said MSPA President E.J. Roberts. “Jon’s extensive background includes port management,
US FMC Commissioners Urge Vaccinations for Maritime Workers
This week, U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioners Daniel B. Maffei and Carl W. Bentzel sent letters to the Governors of major port states urging them to prioritize the vaccination of the maritime workforce to protect the nation’s supply chain.Letters were sent to the Governors of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas and Washington following an earlier letter to the Biden administration encouraging the prioritization of maritime workers for access to vaccinations, personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid testing."Because we
Port of Palm Beach Training Employees on Human Trafficking Prevention
thwart both forms of human trafficking by teaching seaport employees to properly spot the warning signs of human trafficking and what they can do if they witness a potential human trafficking incident.The training is called Ports to Freedom, and it was unanimously approved by the port's board of commissioners during a regular board meeting on January 21. It is said to be the first online, video-based training program specifically designed for the maritime industry. The Port of Palm Beach is the third seaport in the United States to begin using this new human trafficking prevention training.&ldquo
Port of Oakland Extends Project Labor Agreement
The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners have extended the Port's landmark project labor agreement (PLA) that increases East Bay hiring on Port-related capital projects. Negotiated in 2016, the PLA serves as a model for increasing the number of disadvantaged workers in the construction trades especially the highly competitive list trades. The five-year contract will continue to increase local hiring on Port construction projects, increase the number of disadvantaged workers entering the trades and boost earnings for local workers. The Port’s PLA contributes greatly to the East Bay economy.
Port of Virginia Names Edwards CEO
The Virginia Port Authority Board (VPA) of Commissioners today introduced Stephen Edwards as the next leader of The Port of Virginia. He succeeds John F. Reinhart who for the last seven years has led the VPA as its CEO and executive director.Edwards has extensive experience in the global transportation industry most recently as the president and CEO of TraPac, LLC (TraPac), which operates container terminals in Los Angeles, Oakland and Florida. His tenure with the VPA begins on January 19, 2021.“I am delighted to be joining the Virginia Port Authority team in January,” Edwards said.
Walker Named to Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board
The Duluth City Council last week appointed Tyrone Walker to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board of Commissioners. Walker, an ironworker with Lakehead Constructors and Ironworkers Local 512, succeeds Norm Voorhees, whose final term on the board concluded in early October. Walker’s appointment to the Port Authority board runs through October 10, 2026.Raised in Chicago, Walker relocated to Duluth in 2015 after earning his welding certification. Since then, he has worked on multiple welding and steel-fitting projects throughout the Twin Ports. He recently completed his Local 512 apprenticeshi
