Strong Ports = Strong California 

thank you to our sponsors and guests for making "strong ports"

Southern California's Premier Conference on Ports and the Supply Chain

if your business relies on the ports, you need to attend Strong ports=strong california 

FuturePorts hosts the must-attend conference for supply chain, logistics, warehousing, and port development professionals in Southern California. This annual conference brings together over 300 attendees to examine leading-edge topics facing Southern California's ports and the industries, economy, and communities they support. This year's focus is on keeping our ports competitive in a changing marketplace, making sure Southern California is receiving its fair share of Cap & Trade funding, attracting state and federal investment to the Southern California goods movement network, and reviewing the impact that the CAAP and other sustainability measures are having on our industry's ability to support commerce, provide reliable throughput, and maximize efficiency while becoming greener and cleaner. 

Conference Program 

8:00                Opening session

Welcome from FuturePorts Chairman Joseph Hower

Performance of the National Anthem by Patrick Tsoi-A-Sue, Tenor, Long Beach Camerata Singers

Introduction of Master of Ceremonies David Arsenault, Chief Strategy Officer, Direct ChassisLink Inc.

Opening Remarks

8:30                Panel 1: Sustainable Growth at our Ports: A Dialogue with Southern California Port Leaders

The Ports of Southern California are essential to the economic well-being not only of our own region but to the country as a whole. The directors who have our ports under their command are at the helm of an economic engine that creates thousands of direct jobs and community benefits, as well as supports commerce and job creation throughout the region. Having the Ports operate at peak efficiency and throughput ensures that funds needed to implement elements of the Clean Air Action Plan and other sustainable growth strategies are available. Being mindful that freight is like water and finds the path of least resistance we will talk with leaders of Southern California’s ports about the market, staying competitive in a changing environment, attracting federal funding to our Ports, and what’s ahead for Port development in the coming year. 

Moderator:  Dick Steinke, Moffatt & Nichol

Kristin Decas, Executive Director, Port of Hueneme 

Duane Kenagy, Interim Deputy Executive Director, Port of Long Beach 

Job Nelson, Assistant Vice President for External Relations, Port of San Diego 

Gene Seroka, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles 

9:50               Panel 2: Air Quality and Energy: Powering the Future 

Since the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) was first implemented in the San Pedro Bay Ports, much progress has been made on creating more sustainable and cleaner port operations. Now on its third iteration, the CAAP continues to be a flashpoint for environmentalists pushing ever-tougher regulations, and industry seeking to continue to grow our economy and support thousands of good-paying jobs. As the Ports and energy industry face greater community and activist calls for reducing GHG emissions and particulate emissions, the need to balance regulation with implementation cost is a more important than ever. This panel will explore the outcomes of the CAAP and similar “green port” regulations elsewhere in the US, how other ports are reacting to Southern California’s environmental initiatives from a competitive position, and the impacts of costs related to greening the supply chain.

Moderator: Thomas Jelenic, Vice President PMSA  See the presentation

Leslie Blakey, President, Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors 

Chris Cannon, Director of Environmental Management, Port of Los Angeles  See the presentation

Kevin Maggay, Environmental Policy Program Manager, SoCalGas  See the presentation

Heather Tomley, Director of Environmental Planning, Port of Long Beach See the presentation

Katie Sloan, Principal Manager – Innovation, Development, & Controls, Customer Service, Southern California Edison 

11:05             FREIGHT ADVANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEMS (FRATIS) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Eric Shen, Director, Mid Pacific Gateway Office, United States Department of Transportation Maritime Administration See the presentation

11:30             Break

12:00             Luncheon Program

                     Panel 3: How Southern California Agencies are working Together to SeCURE Federal and State Funding FOR FREIGHT MOVEMENT

Moderator: Connie Rivera, Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority

Allison Yoh, Director of Transportation Planning Division, Port of Long Beach  See the presentation

Michael Cano, Deputy Executive Officer, Goods Movement, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority See the presentation

Kerry Cartwright, Director of Goods Movement, Port of Los Angeles See the presentation

Paul Hubler, Director of Government and Community Relations, Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority See the presentation

Annie Nam, Manager of Goods Movement & Transportation Finance, Southern California Association of Governments 

1:30-2:45       Panel 4: The Promise of Cap & Trade, is Southern California Getting Left Behind?

In 2006 California passed AB 32, the landmark environmental legislation that aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. As part of this legislation, the “Cap & Trade” program, designed to both limit harmful emissions and create a funding source to support sustainability initiatives statewide, was established. In 2017, AB 398 was passed, extending the program. Many of the regulated industries that are subject to Cap & Trade are located in the Southern California region, yet only a small percentage of funding is made available to the communities directly impacted in the southern part of the state.  This panel will explore the political and regulatory realities of Cap & Trade and seeks to highlight strategies that Southern California can be using to secure adequate Cap & Trade funding to address our region’s air quality needs.

Moderator:  Tiffany K. Roberts, Director of Fuels and Climate Policy, Western States Petroleum Association 

Ross Brown, Principal Fiscal & Policy Analyst, Legislative Analyst Office

Darin Chidsey, COO, Southern California Association of Governments  See the presentation

2:45            Closing Remarks