PORT NOLA PRESIDENT & CEO BETH BRANCH ELECTED TO AAPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 2026–2028 TERM

PORT NOLA PRESIDENT & CEO BETH BRANCH ELECTED TO AAPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 2026–2028 TERM

Branch elected to At-Large seat during AAPA’s 115th Annual Convention in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Beth Branch has been elected to serve a full two-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA).

Branch was elected to an At-Large seat for the 2026–2028 term during AAPA’s 115th Annual Convention in New Orleans, which brought together nearly 1,000 port and maritime industry professionals from across the Western Hemisphere.

“I am honored to continue serving AAPA and to represent Port NOLA and the Lower Mississippi River alongside port leaders from across the Americas,” said Branch. “This is an important time for our industry as we strengthen infrastructure, expand multimodal connectivity and prepare our ports to meet the evolving needs of global trade. I look forward to contributing Port NOLA’s perspective to those conversations and working together to strengthen the communities and economies our ports serve.”

Branch previously joined the AAPA Board in 2025 and now begins a full two-year term as part of the Association’s newly elected 2026–2028 leadership. AAPA uses staggered two-year terms to provide continuity and broad representation across its Board.

Branch brings more than 20 years of transportation and logistics experience to the role. As President and CEO of Port NOLA and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), she leads one of the nation’s most diverse multimodal gateways, with connections across maritime, rail, cruise and industrial real estate operations.

Under her leadership, Port NOLA is also advancing the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), a next-generation container terminal planned in St. Bernard Parish that will strengthen Louisiana’s position in global trade and expand access between international markets and the U.S. interior.

Branch’s career includes leadership roles with the Alabama Port Authority and the Port of Oakland, as well as nearly two decades with Maersk in the United States and Denmark.

AAPA announced its newly elected Board and officers during the New Orleans convention, including Richard Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer of the Albany Port District Commission, as Board Chair, and Dr. Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, as Board Vice Chair.

About Port NOLA:

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a modern multimodal gateway for global commerce and an in-demand cruise port — delivering seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river, rail, and road. Port NOLA is a diverse deep-water port uniquely located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of America -- with access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, 6 Class I railroads and interstate roadways. Strategic alignment with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, a Class III connecting railroad, strengthens Port NOLA’s position as an integrated hub and supports the Port’s mission of driving regional economic prosperity.

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