NYNJ Port Authority staff, shipping community affected by terrorist attack

Three days after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, several of New York and New Jersey Port Authority staff remain missing.

Among them is the Port Authority’s executive director Neil Levin, according to the Business Times.

The Authority, which owns the World Trade Center, has around 1,400 staff and occupied over 10 floors high up in the north tower, which was completely demolished in the attack.

However, all 15 staff of the American Bureau of Shipping, which was also located in the World Trade Center, survived the ordeal, including chairman and chief executive Frank Larossi.

Zim Israel also had offices in the World Trade Center, but had moved its US corporate headquarters to Norfolk, Virginia in early September. However, the company may have had some skeleton staff still in New York.

Other shipping related enterprises at the World Trade Center included shipping magazine American Shipper, which reported that all its staff were safe and accounted for.

Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said that all of the Port Authority’s Marine Terminals remain closed until further notice. All other US ports, as well as the Panama canal, remain open but with increased security.