Reply #11: I read this today

[Adelante]

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What’s the significance of a foreign company operating terminals in a U.S. port?

While foreign and U.S. companies are able to lease terminals in American ports, the ports remain publicly owned. Each company is responsible for moving ships and goods in and out of their terminal, and may even hire a private security firm, but the U.S. Customs and Border Protection remains responsible for checking the cargo and the U.S. Coast Guard is charged with overseeing security. These responsibilities are mandated by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. An analogous relationship may be seen in U.S. airports, where foreign airlines may lease a terminal, but the U.S. Transportation Security Administration is responsible for security.

Which nationality will the workers be at the ports in question?

The workers who load and unload cargo from ships at U.S. ports are represented by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) on the East Coast and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWA) on the West Coast. These powerful unions deal with shipping companies directly and all the union members are U.S. citizens. As ILA spokesman James A. McNamara told the New York Times, "Any movement of cargo from the bottom of the ship to the tailgate of the truck leaving the port is handled by ILA labor." While not as highly organized as the dock workers, experts say most private security personnel and shipping company staff at U.S. ports are also likely to be U.S. citizens.

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http://www.cfr.org/publication/9918/uae_purchase_of_american_port_facilities.html

There are links throughout the summary.