Inside the Port: Infrastructure, Growth & the Future of New Orleans with Kristi App

Episode: #444 Hosts: Andy Shiles & Lalo Solorzano Guest: Kristi App, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of New Orleans Published: February 2026 Length: ~35 minutes Presented by: Global Training Center 🏗️ Episode Summary This week, Andy and Lalo shift gears from tariff talk and policy debates to something just as critical — port infrastructure and cargo flow. They sit down with Kristi App, newly appointed Chief Commercial Officer for the Port of New Orleans, to discuss her transition from a multi-generational family customs brokerage to one of the most important trade gateways in the United States. From Mardi Gras humor to multimodal logistics strategy, this conversation dives into: The economic impact of the Mississippi River complex Why the Port of New Orleans is uniquely positioned with all six Class I rail connections The realities of competing with Brazil and Argentina in agricultural exports Panama Canal water levels and their impact on Gulf trade Infrastructure challenges (including bridge air draft restrictions) And the future $2 billion container terminal expansion in Violet, Louisiana Kristi brings a rare perspective — someone who has worked export ops, import brokerage, business development, and trade advocacy — now sitting on the port side making strategic infrastructure decisions that shape supply chains. If you work in logistics, brokerage, importing, exporting, or trade policy, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how ports think — and how that thinking impacts your freight. 🚢 Key Takeaways The Lower Mississippi River complex feeds, fuels, and powers the world — over 60% of U.S. grain exports flow through it. The Port of New Orleans is the only deep-draft U.S. port connected to all six Class I railroads. Freight always has a choice — ports must remain competitive and multimodal. Brazil and Argentina have become serious competitors in global ag exports. The Panama Canal’s stabilization benefits the entire Gulf ecosystem. The Crescent City Connection bridge creates air draft limitations for larger container vessels. A new $2 billion container terminal (2 million TEU capacity) is in final permitting stages — a generational infrastructure project. Retain, repatriate, and grow cargo: the port’s commercial strategy in three words. 🌎 Why This Matters to Trade Professionals Kristi emphasizes something important: Ports are the nexus of trade — but they only work if infrastructure investments match market demand. For brokers and importers/exporters, that means: More routing options Multimodal flexibility (rail + river + interstate) Competitive Gulf Coast alternatives Future-ready capacity for larger vessels This episode is a reminder that policy debates are one thing — but infrastructure is what actually moves goods. 📍 Industry Events Mentioned TPM Conference – Long Beach Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Conference – New Orleans (April 20–22) 🔗 Resources & Mentions Kristi App – LinkedIn Port of New Orleans National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) Journal of Commerce U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Mississippi River Channel Management 🎧 Credits Hosts: Andy Shiles Lalo Solorzano Guest: Kristi App, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of New Orleans Produced & Presented by: Global Training Center 📢 Subscribe & Follow Stay connected with the Simply Trade community: LinkedIn – Andy Shiles LinkedIn – Lalo Solorzano LinkedIn – Global Training Center YouTube – Simply Trade Podcast Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/09m199JO6fuNumbcrHTkGq?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simply-trade/id1640329690?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast Trade Geeks Community – https://globaltrainingcenter.com/portal/?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast