AAPA to feature port administration and legal issues seminar in San Francisco

The biennial Port Administration and Legal Issues Seminar in San Francisco, April 13-15, sponsored by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), will examine the latest trends, challenges and management strategies for port administrators, finance officers, attorneys, and real estate and risk managers.

The meeting comes on the heels of the merger of global industrial real estate bellwethers ProLogis and AMB Property Corporation.

In an interview with SCMR, Mo Sheahan?ProLogis, ?Corporate Communications spokesman, said that until the merger has closed (expected in Q2 2011), “we can’t give information or speculate about the transaction beyond what was announced in the release.”

But spokesmen for the AAPA said that it will be a “top of mind” topic at the event.

The association’s 2½-day program will address current developments in port contracts and leasing; lease security and certificates of insurance; the Shipping Act and Federal Maritime Commission regulation; port insurance and risk management strategies; a wide range of employment issues; legal ethics, public records, recordkeeping, and electronically-stored information; and minimizing/avoiding liability in port construction projects. It will also include an in-depth discussion of public financing and the issuance of bonds.

“Western Hemisphere seaports, which collectively handle some 7.8 billion tons of cargo a year worth about $8.6 trillion, serve as crucial trade gateways and economic engines for the regions and nations they serve, while constantly working to minimize risk in everything from public financing, construction projects and leases, to employee relations,” said Jean Godwin, AAPA’s executive vice president and general counsel. “The association’s Law Review and Risk Management & Safety committees have developed an outstanding program of industry experts and interactive panel discussions that will cover an array of timely legal as well as finance, human resources and administrative issues facing ports today.”

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