The Port of Long Beach is getting a new interim chief executive.

On Wednesday, the Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved the appointment of Duane Kenagy to temporarily replace Chief Executive Jon Slangerup, who is leaving Oct. 28 to head an aviation technology company in Canada.

Kenagy is the port’s capital programs executive, overseeing nearly $4.5 billion in construction and improvement projects, the largest infrastructure investment of any port in the nation, according to a port news release. He joined the port in 2014 and oversees the replacement of the aging Gerald Desmond Bridge and the redevelopment of the Middle Harbor container terminal, each with a pricetag of nearly $1.5 billion.

Kenagy’s salary will be $275,000 in the new position. Port officials said he wouldn’t be a candidate for permanent appointment as chief executive.

The Harbor Commission plans to issue a request for proposals to select a firm to conduct an international search for a new port chief.

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles together make up the largest port complex in the country, handling about 40 percent of U.S. imports.

Trade, transportation, and manufacturing reporter Paul Eakins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Pauleakins.