Mobile lands 2012 port convention (Detroit: 2015, transfer, authority)

[PortCity]

MOBILE, Ala. -- Mobile will host the 2012 annual meeting of the American Association of Port Authorities, according to officials with the state docks.
More than 500 delegates are expected to attend the Oct. 20-27 conference, with at least that many spouses, vendors and others, said Jimmy Lyons, director of the Alabama State Port Authority.
The authority recently voted to allow staff members to spend up to $1.2 million to orchestrate the conference. Lyons said the port will make up most of its expenses through registration fees and advertising.
The port will be on a tight schedule to organize the convention, Lyons said. Authority officials had planned to apply to host the 2015 meeting, but then learned that next year's host city, Detroit, had to back out, Lyons said.
The association is composed of port authorities from the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The convention will put an international spotlight on recent investments made at the Port of Mobile, such as the Mobile Container Terminal and the Pinto Island Terminal that ThyssenKrupp AG uses to transfer steel slabs from ocean-going vessels to river-bound barges.
It will also be a chance to showcase the city of Mobile to an international audience, Lyons said

According to the article the Gulf Quest museum should be up and running before or around October.

Mobile lands 2012 port convention | al.com

[MPC]

This is good, hopefully it will build some connections and will increase our port activity even more.