Page 20: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 16, 2026)

INTERVIEW

Aimee Andres, IRPT of freight,” Andres said. “We’re not just serving waterways, Ports and terminals are upgrading material-handling sys- we’re serving the nation’s supply chain.” tems, increasing throughput and reducing costs. At the same

IRPT’s mission centers on three pillars: business develop- time, they are investing in cleaner equipment and higher-tier ment, advocacy and education, at both the state and federal engines to reduce emissions and environmental impact.

levels. That combination has positioned the association as a While public ports often receive the spotlight, Andres is key voice for smaller ports and terminals that often struggle quick to stress the role of private terminals. “There are about to compete for attention and funding alongside their larger 335 public ports in the U.S., but there are tens of thousands of coastal counterparts. private terminals moving freight every day,” she said. “They are essential to the system.”

Leveling the Funding Playing Field

When asked which accomplishments she is most proud of, The Infrastructure Challenge

Andres immediately pointed to IRPT’s role in shaping the Despite recent progress, Andres is candid about the biggest federal Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). challenge facing IRPT members: aging infrastructure.

Before the program was restructured, small inland ports were Locks, dams, channels and other navigation assets — many forced to compete directly with mega-ports like New York– managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — have suf-

New Jersey or Long Beach for a limited pool of federal in- fered from decades of underfunding. Authorized projects re- frastructure dollars. IRPT saw the imbalance and took action. main un