Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132-2096.  Phone: (305) 539-6799. Email: ekalisch@rccl.com. Website: www.royalcaribbean.com. Contact: Ms. Eleni P. Kalisch, Vice President, Government Relations.  (AAPA Sustaining Member)

Lamar University’s Center for Advances in Port Management (CAPM) announces the inaugural offering of our fully online Master of Science in Port and Terminal Management program beginning Fall 2017 (first class August 23).

THE Alliance carrier consortium’s new AL-4 service to North Europe will be calling the Port of Mobile beginning next month. Port Manatee has extended by its agreement with World Direct Shipping, operator of weekly service to and from the Mexican state of Veracruz. THE Alliance made its first call to the Port of Philadelphia with the April 19 docking of M/V YM Essence at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors recently presented the county’s 2017 Earth Day Award for Excellence in Environmental Stewardship to the Port of Hueneme. To mark the celebration of Earth Day 2017, the Port Authority New York & Jersey on April 18 announced two new environmental initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and improving air quality around the bi-state seaport.

The Massachusetts Port Authority has been authorized by its board to enter a development agreement and lease with Omni Resorts and Hotels to build a 1,050-plus room hotel in South Boston’s Waterfront District.

Construction begins this month on a 3,300-lineal-foot double rail siding to support international cargo movement at the Port of Everett.

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority was recently called upon to leverage logistics in providing Beeville (TX) with water after the city lost power to its water treatment systems and exhausted its water supply. San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners has earmarked funding in its budget to support 72 events during Fiscal Year 2018 as part of the port’s Tidelands Activation Program.

Port Tampa Bay works closely with Audubon Florida, as well as state and federal regulatory conservation agencies in Florida, to provide protection annually for nesting birds and their young in the Hillsborough Bay area. 

Container throughput at the Northwest Seaport Alliance’s Seattle and Tacoma terminals increased by more than 14 percent in March and 10 percent in first quarter 2017.

Thomas J. Hayes has been reappointed by the Province of Nova Scotia to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Halifax Port Authority. The Port of Virginia is undergoing changes to its sales team that include the retirement of Frank Naughton, its long-time vice president of ocean carrier sales, and the promotion of Joe O’Brien to that position.