In an article that appeared this week in The Tampa Bay Times, Port Tampa Bay CEO and President Paul Anderson shares his vision and perspectives on the importance of preparing for an emergency before it strikes. In this article, he discusses the value of hurricane preparedness and hosting, for the eighth year in a row, the port’s annual Hurricane Preparedness Tabletop Exercise, which occurred on May 27.
“Hurricanes and tropical storms are probably the last things we want to think about right now,” said Mr. Anderson, noting that the impact of severe weather during or immediately following a pandemic has the potential to be absolutely devastating. “This is why it is so critically important to prepare to the greatest extent possible before hurricane season begins.”
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Support for the Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR) COVID-19 declaration, initiated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, has more than doubled since it was first launched in April. So far, more than 50 port authorities from Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas have signed the declaration committing to collaborate closely so that ports remain open to keep the global supply chain and cargo moving amid the on-going pandemic. Last week in a video conference, PAR members discussed the COVID-19 declaration, shared best practices and implemented precautionary measures, and thanked seafarers, harbor pilots, shore-based workers and the maritime community who have worked tirelessly enabling international trade to continue during these challenging times. AAPA has pledged its support along with other international organizations and groups such as the International Maritime Organization, International Chamber of Shipping, International Association of Ports and Harbors, APEC Port Services Network, Italian Port Association and Maritime NZ.
 In lieu of an in-person event, AAPA’s 2020 Port Directors Seminar is shifting to a virtual environment and will be held on June 16 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EDT. This program is specifically designed for port CEOs and director-level senior staff at member ports. The format offers an exceptional opportunity for discussion of major issues affecting CEOs and their organizations, including industry trends, management challenges, and governmental/regulatory issues.
Seminar Schedule for Tuesday, June 16
1:00 p.m. – Welcome and Introduction
• Christopher Connor, President & CEO, AAPA
1:15 p.m. – Economic Outlook
• William R. Emmons, Economist and Assistant Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2:00 p.m. – Retail Outlook/Supply Chain Disruption
• Chris J. Baldwin, President & CEO, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Westborough, MA
2:45 p.m. – GLDD: Supporting AAPA and the Port Industry
• Lasse Petterson, President & CEO, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC
• William H. Hanson, Senior Vice President, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC
3:30 p.m. – Open Discussions
4:15 p.m. – Seminar Adjourns
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Join AAPA and Woods Hole Group for a webinar on Prioritizing Coastal Resilience: Modeling Inundation Risk in a Changing Climate on Thursday, June 11, at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Numerous coastal communities and stakeholders have developed, or started to develop, Coastal Climate Adaptation Plans that integrate projected sea-level rise influences into their planning process. In many coastal areas, the adverse impacts of climate change and sea-level rise may be reduced by a careful response to the increased threat of normal tidal and storm-induced flood damage. Presenter Kirk Bosma, P.E., senior coastal engineer and innovation director at Woods Hole Group, will discuss developing climate change adaptation plans based on results from a federal award-winning, high-resolution dynamic probabilistic model approach. Register Today
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AAPA will host a free webinar on the new Marine Highway Module of the Port Planning & Investment Toolkit (PP&IT) on June 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. The webinar will feature panelists from AAPA, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), module contractor WSP, Virginia International Terminals, LLC, SEACOR AMH LLC, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and The Port of Virginia. The online event will provide an overview of America's Marine Highway Program and describe how marine highway services can become designated projects by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It will also present details on the Marine Highway Module of the PP&IT, including how to plan a marine highway service, determine its feasibility, and identify possible funding mechanisms, including grants. Webinar panelists include:
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Aaron Ellis, Public Affairs Director, AAPA
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Timothy Pickering, Operations Development Manager, Office of Ports & Waterways Planning, MARAD
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Mauricio Castro, Transportation Specialist, Office of Ports & Waterways Planning, MARAD
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Alan Meyers, Principal Consultant, WSP
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Greg Johnson, Director of Business Development, Port of Greater Baton Rouge
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Richard Teubner, Vice President, SEACOR AMH LLC
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Jessie McCarthy, General Manager, Multi-Purpose Terminals, Virginia International Terminals, LLC
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Aaron Ouellette, Economic Development Specialist, The Port of Virginia
Register here for the free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.
The webinar and PP&IT Marine Highway Module is supported by MARAD through a U.S. Department of Transportation grant.
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Hurricane season has officially begun, and weather experts are predicting an above-average number of storms this year. To address the challenges of managing disaster response and recovery efforts during this year’s hurricane season, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published the COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season. In addition, FEMA’s National Preparedness Directorate will be holding webinars to discuss the guidance and planning considerations in this pandemic environment. Visit Ready.gov for additional information, graphics and tip sheets to start preparing now.
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If your port or organization is planning on submitting entries into AAPA’s 2020 Communications Competition, please do not mail in supplementary materials as part of your entry. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all communications competition judging will be done virtually this year. Judges will not be present in person at AAPA’s offices as in previous years to judge the entries. Instead, they will be emailed links to their assigned entries. Consequently, AAPA will not be able to provide the judges any supplemental materials to look at or handle, such as books, magazines, campaign handouts, logo-emblazoned hats and t-shirts, bronze coins, or any of the many other things that are oftentimes mailed in to complement a specific entry.
Please note the entry deadline this year was extended by 45 days to Monday, June 15. Entries must be uploaded on the website and sent in through Submittable by that date. For questions, please contact AAPA Public Affairs Director Aaron Ellis.
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Over the past nine years, the lighting industry has progressed significantly, and LED lighting has fundamentally changed the way we illuminate terminals.
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In a joint news release, Georgia Ports Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the deepening of the Savannah harbor has set a new precedent with four dredges working simultaneously. The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) includes two dredges keeping the channel at its current authorized depth of 42 feet followed by two dredges taking the channel to its new depth of 47 feet.
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The Port of Altamira, MX, marks its 35th year in operation. It was inaugurated on June 1, 1985, with the first operation of the port on a 250-meter wharf. Since then, its growth has been constant, now with more than 4.5 kilometers of wharf, 19 berthing positions and 13 terminals, and specialized shipping for the movement of all types of cargo.
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Two months into Canada’s pandemic response, the Ports of Hamilton and Oshawa have safely sustained their roles as vital components of the national transportation network. So far this season more than 880,000 MT of cargo has transited the Port of Hamilton aboard 64 vessels. The Port of Oshawa has received four vessels, carrying a total of 48,000 MT of cargo.
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Port Freeport announced the arrival of the first rail shipment from Vulcan Materials Company to Port Freeport’s Parcel 14 multi-modal industrial park, a 250-acre site adjacent to State Highway 36. Union Pacific, a long-term partner of Port Freeport, delivered 95 gondola railcars loaded with aggregate limestone rock from Medina County, Texas.
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The Port of Baltimore has again achieved top international environmental certification. The certification – known as ISO 14001 for Environmental Management System – recognizes the many environmental initiatives and programs in place at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s state-owned public marine terminals. The Port of New Orleans announced that the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) upgraded its locomotive fleet with the arrival of eight new locomotives to replace aging engines, improve efficiency and lower overall emissions. Recognizable by their bright blue color, the new locomotives provide reliable service and support the short-line railroad’s commitment to integrating more sustainable business and operational practices.
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Leadership from JAXPORT, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Area Port of Jacksonville, and U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville joined U.S. Congressman John Rutherford in welcoming Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf to JAXPORT last week. The visit included an update on JAXPORT’s major growth projects, including the Harbor Deepening Project that remains two years ahead of its original schedule due in large part to support from the federal government, and a briefing on how the port has continued to safely operate and remain open for business during COVID-19.
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The Port of Corpus Christi was awarded a grant by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) under the 2019-2020 Port Access Program for safety improvements to the Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor and Rincon Road leading to the Rincon Industrial Complex. The Port Access Program is funded by the Texas Mobility Fund and is designed to improve safety and fluidity of roads around Texas seaports.
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BendPak, which manufactures and sells automotive lifts used in car dealerships and parking garages, has joined other major companies such as Walmart, Amazon, Kia, Airbus, Bombardier and Mercedes Benz in selecting the Port of Mobile and the state of Alabama as a hub for global logistics supply and distribution as well as manufacturing.
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11
Jun 2020
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2:00 p.m. ET | 1:00 p.m. CT | 11 a.m. PT
Sponsored by Woods Hole Group
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16
Jun 2020
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1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EDT
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18
Jun 2020
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1:00 p.m. ET | 12:00 p.m. CT | 10:00 a.m. PT
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