The International Association of Ports and Harbors has released the Conference Agenda for its upcoming 28th World Ports Conference to be held May 6-10th at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. The bi-annual conference of global port authorities will address an array of economic, security, logistics and environmental aspects of port operations worldwide.

“The agenda for the 28th World Ports Conference very much reflects the variety of interests, trends and activities engaged in by port authorities around the world,” said Arley Baker conference vice president and Port of Los Angeles senior communications director. “The event provides a great opportunity for ports and port service providers to receive the latest information and insights about the industry and network with port and maritime professionals from every continent.”

The agenda spans a variety of informative topics. Keynote speakers include (ret.) Captain Richard Phillips, taken hostage by Somali Pirates in 2009, and noted ocean explorer Don Walsh discussing emerging maritime trade routes through Arctic Ocean.

Committee and conference session topics include: Maritime piracy and related security measures; best practices in port finance; the emergence of Liquefied Natural Gas as a vessel fuel and cargo transported through ports; planning for extreme weather events and lessons learned from recent natural catastrophes; the latest developments in Port Community System (PCS) technology; “Zero Emissions” strategies among global ports; challenges facing ports and cruise lines as cruise travel continues to grow, advancing women in the port and maritime industries; and port trucking logistics.