107th AAPA Annual Convention Officially Launched in Chile

With the Valparaíso hills serving as a picturesque backdrop, the Port of Valparaíso (EPV) and AAPA officially launched the 107th AAPA Annual Convention this past May 24th with a kick-off reception that gathered public officials, port executives and clients on the deck of Valparaíso’s historic Barón Pier.  "Between October 7th and 10th, we will host this major port convention that will bring together, for the first time in Chile and in our beloved city of Valparaíso, more than 700 directors, executives and representatives from over 150 ports and 300 companies in the industry. This event underlines the strategic significance of port activity throughout the hemisphere as the driving force behind economic development and exchange," said Gonzalo Davagnino, General Manager of EPV.

"This is the first time that the Convention will take place in South America, and for Valparaíso, I believe it is an honor that recognizes the role played by its port in the region and Raul Urzua’s leadership, who is extremely renowned and respected within the industry. It is a great opportunity to showcase the importance of Valparaíso to the international community," stated AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle.

Rafael Díaz-Balart, AAPA’s Latin American Coordinator, shared details about the Convention’s business program, which will address latest industry challenges, "Our agenda includes topics such as the merger of shipping companies and their impact on the sector, environmental concerns and the latest trends in port workforce training. Cybersecurity is also a major topic of interest considering how it affected Maersk in 2017."

More information about the 2018 AAPA Annual Convention, including online registration, is available at aapavalparaiso2018.com.