Strategic planning at the nation’s busiest port complex is evolving from reactive fixes to a long-range outlook focused on digital resilience and geopolitical agility. In my conversation this week with port leaders Dr. Noel Hacegaba and Gene Seroka, we explored how these hubs are becoming predictive nerve centers, capable of weathering both economic cycles and volatile trade lanes. We delved into the structural shifts and technology driving the future of global trade, as well as how ports will — and should — shape this conversation.
“Ports sit at the intersection of trade, geopolitics, climate and technology,” Long Beach CEO Hacegaba explained. “These issues are at the top of everyone's agenda in government, business and industry. Ports have the ability to influence and affect transit time, carrying costs and everything that is vital and paramount to shippers. When disaster strikes, we feel it first.”
This frontline perspective is particularly critical as global trade lanes face unprecedented regulatory mandates. With erratic tariff policy making long-term planning difficult, Los Angeles Executive Director Seroka noted, “You've got to find a way to have a horizon that goes through budget cycles, through economic cycles and certainly through election cycles. Infrastructure projects that we're embarking on … have a horizon of 25 or 30 years.”
Although many supply chain professionals are prioritizing short-term, tactical pivots, it’s critical to balance those choices with the longer lead times required for major infrastructure. "We can't just react to short-term volatility, "Hacegaba agreed. "We've got to plan things out far in advance, get the permits, get the equipment interchange receipts, get the partners to finance the fund."
To learn more about how ports are functioning today, I asked about the structural shift we've seen in recent years from manufacturing entirely in China to China-plus-one and nearshoring. Hacagaba believes everyone is “hedging their bets” by diversifying trade lanes and looking for ways to keep cargo moving in the “fastest, cheapest, most reliable way possible.” He added that some approaches add three days of shipping time on the water, thus putting the organization three days behind schedule. In response, many are tapping rail connections to key markets.
AI plays a role, too. For instance, Seroka's port uses AI for both geospatial traffic mapping and to support digital twins: “We've got naval architects who have to do construction or repair work underneath the water service. If you can cut out the time it takes the scuba divers to go down and look at the pilings underneath, and show it to them digitally in real time, you can get those architects working that much quicker.”
Interestingly, ASCM Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Rennie recently explored the power of partnering AI and digital twins for our Insights Blog. She writes: “Digital twins and AI make each other stronger. Their complementary strengths unlock new levels of functionality and efficiency. Together, they run simulations with greater speed and volume than previously possible, enhancing scalability and forecasting accuracy to provide users with faster and more accurate analysis that supports better decision-making.”
The future of orchestration in Long Beach
ASCM’s annual conference, CHAINge: North America, heads to Long Beach this September 29-30. Don't miss your opportunity to explore the key issues shaping global supply chains — from talent development to digital transformation to circularity. Plus, many fun networking opportunities will enable you to trade ideas, problem-solve and innovate. Register today to solidify your standing in the next phase of global trade.
