"In my opinion, no topic is more timely or pertinent. It is relevant to all port authorities, regardless of volume, staff size or geography," said the Port of Long Beach commercial operations chief Noel Hacegaba.
"Workforce development and succession planning apply to all port authorities and must be managed carefully and strategically in order to ensure a transition to a successful future."
According to Mr Hacegaba, preparing the next generation of port leaders has never been more important, or more complex due to the evolving landscape of the port sector in recent years, an evolution that's still in progress.
"To say that there's been change in the shipping industry is a monumental understatement," he said.
"The global roster of shipping lines has consolidating essentially from 20 to 12 in less than three years. Ship size has more than doubled in the last five years. There have been many actors that have been disrupting the supply chain and because of our reliance on technology and information systems, cyber security attacks are more prevalent.
"And consider the demographic shifts that we're seeing in the marketplace," Mr Hacegaba continued.
"Every day, an estimated 10,000 baby boomers are retiring as more and more millennial are entering the workforce. And as they enter the workforce, they're introducing new trends. One of these trends is known as "job hopping".
"Millennials spend an average of two years in a job, meaning that they will likely hold 15 to 20 different jobs over the course of their working lives."
All of these factors, he said, are combining to drastically reshape the workforce, which in turn requires new approaches and strategies by port authorities.
"We also need to start thinking about aligning academia and professional training to the evolving needs of the workforce," he said, mentioning that over the years, the AAPA has contributed to the effort through its Professional Port Manager certification programme, which helps public port authorities and marine related agencies hire or promote qualified seaport managers and professionals.
Another member of the discussion panel, president and CEO Jim Quinn of the Saint John's Port Authority in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, said that industry leaders' fundamental role is that of a mentor.
"My actively supporting and training the development of our own workforce and helping them to build the skillsets and competency, it'll help prepare them as our future leaders," Mr Quinn said.
"Workforce development and succession planning apply to all port authorities and must be managed carefully and strategically in order to ensure a transition to a successful future."
According to Mr Hacegaba, preparing the next generation of port leaders has never been more important, or more complex due to the evolving landscape of the port sector in recent years, an evolution that's still in progress.
"To say that there's been change in the shipping industry is a monumental understatement," he said.
"The global roster of shipping lines has consolidating essentially from 20 to 12 in less than three years. Ship size has more than doubled in the last five years. There have been many actors that have been disrupting the supply chain and because of our reliance on technology and information systems, cyber security attacks are more prevalent.
"And consider the demographic shifts that we're seeing in the marketplace," Mr Hacegaba continued.
"Every day, an estimated 10,000 baby boomers are retiring as more and more millennial are entering the workforce. And as they enter the workforce, they're introducing new trends. One of these trends is known as "job hopping".
"Millennials spend an average of two years in a job, meaning that they will likely hold 15 to 20 different jobs over the course of their working lives."
All of these factors, he said, are combining to drastically reshape the workforce, which in turn requires new approaches and strategies by port authorities.
"We also need to start thinking about aligning academia and professional training to the evolving needs of the workforce," he said, mentioning that over the years, the AAPA has contributed to the effort through its Professional Port Manager certification programme, which helps public port authorities and marine related agencies hire or promote qualified seaport managers and professionals.
Another member of the discussion panel, president and CEO Jim Quinn of the Saint John's Port Authority in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, said that industry leaders' fundamental role is that of a mentor.
"My actively supporting and training the development of our own workforce and helping them to build the skillsets and competency, it'll help prepare them as our future leaders," Mr Quinn said.