Strategic plan for a challenged port authority

Challenge

The Board and senior management of a large US port authority struggled with falling cargo volumes and decaying, unused marine facilities. A new vision and clear strategy for future growth was critical – to orient management’s efforts and to communicate a sense of direction to the local community.

Approach

• Led a fact-based research, analysis and direction-setting process for the port, involving a series of workshops at crucial junctures.
• Formed and led a 60-person local advisory committee, which effectively communicated challenges, choices and directions, gaining a new sense of shared community support.
• Provided the objective, external expertise needed to reach consensus on the best path forward.
• Addressed all major functional areas – cargo forecasts, marketing and sales, facilities, real estate optimal use, organization and performance management.

Results

• Delivered a compelling vision and coherent strategy to confidently address the future.
• Developed an action plan for marketing, facilities and services, operations, pricing, real estate development, finance and organization.
• Shifted emphasis from engineering to marketing that led to a major positive turnaround in the port’s fortunes.