Hacegaba talks port of the future with world leaders

The Port of Long Beach was represented this week at the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba was invited to join global leaders from government, business and industry to discuss the future of trade, supply chains, and economic resilience.

“This is my first time attending the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, and I see it as a valuable opportunity to engage directly with leaders who are shaping global policy and markets,” said Hacegaba, who also serves as president of the California Association of Port Authorities. “Ports sit at the intersection of trade, geopolitics, climate, and technology, making Davos a unique forum to discuss how supply chains can remain resilient, sustainable, and secure in a rapidly changing world.”

Hacegaba noted that central to the annual meeting’s impact is the neutral and trusted forum. “The value of the World Economic Forum is less about geography and more about who is in the room and the willingness to engage across borders,” he said. “That kind of candid dialogue remains essential at a time of heightened global uncertainty.”

“Engaging with leaders from around the world makes us better partners as the Port of Long Beach works to become the Port of the Future,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “Noel’s presence at the World Economic Forum ensures the nation’s largest gateway for trans-Pacific trade has a voice in global conversations directly affecting jobs and the goods movement industry.”

During the forum, Hacegaba met with the world’s leading transportation and supply chain companies, addressing the impacts of evolving trade policy, including the effects of tariffs on cargo flows. “Trade policy changes tend to introduce uncertainty,” he said. “For the Port of Long Beach, that can result in shifts in cargo timing, sourcing strategies, and routing decisions, often creating short-term volatility even when long-term demand remains strong.”

Hacegaba was the only representative of a U.S. seaport at the summit. Among various meetings with political and global business and port leaders, Hacegaba participated in roundtable discussions with Cabinet-level officials from the United States, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and ministers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. He also met with CEOs from the world’s largest shipping, logistics, and transportation companies and attended sessions featuring business leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. He also attended President Donald Trump’s address and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s session on California.

The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed, and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at more than $300 billion annually and supports 2.7 million jobs across the United States, including 691,000 in Southern California. It is one of 18 commercial strategic seaports in the United States, with a duty to support force deployment during contingencies and other national defense emergencies. Industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for a seventh consecutive year and “The Best Green Seaport” in 2025. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $3.2 billion in capital improvements aimed at building the Port of the Future by enhancing capacity, competitiveness, and sustainability.