The city of Pine Bluff on Wednesday hosted its first Port Showcase, commemorating a new partnership between the Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Port Authority and Port of Little Rock.
The showcase brought together port leadership, industry stakeholders and regional partners for a tour of both ports and a working luncheon, according to a news release. The luncheon included speakers Bill Jones, an Arkansas Game and Fish commissioner; Bryan Day, Little Rock Port Authority executive director; Carlton Saffa, chief marketing officer at Saracen Casino Resort; and Lenore Trammell, chief compliance officer and general counsel at Big River Steel.
The Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Port Authority approved a resolution supporting a memorandum of agreement with the Little Rock Port Authority to collaborate on economic development, increase river tonnage and promote regional port cooperation. Congress also requested a $9.8-million appropriation for needed infrastructure upgrades, in addition to a 10% commitment from the port operator, reflecting what the city of Pine Bluff calls a continued investment in modernizing the port and improving long-term competitiveness…