Get a jumpstart on project entries for the 2022 Lighthouse Awards Program competition. AAPA will begin accepting project applications online on April 25, 2022. Entries must be received by the application deadline on Thursday, May 26, 2022, by midnight EDT. Each year, AAPA's Lighthouse Awards recognize port programs and projects that serve as a beacon of excellence throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Visit the Lighthouse Awards Program webpage for links to information about each category, winning entries from previous years for review and download, and steps for submitting entry materials online. Don't forget to download the PowerPoint slide template that must be completed for each entry submitted. For questions or assistance, contact AAPA’s Jen Wilk (jwilk@aapa-ports.org).

Winning entries from this year’s competition will be announced in August, and individual awards will be mailed shortly after that. Winners who email back a photo showcasing their award(s) will be featured in an audio/visual presentation during AAPA’s 2022 Annual Convention and Expo, which takes place October 16-19 in Orlando, Fla. Winners of the three Overall Award of Excellence will be presented with their trophies at the convention.

To accommodate unanticipated scheduling conflicts and ensure attendees receive the stellar programming they have come to expect of AAPA, the Smart Ports Seminar has been rescheduled to July 12-14, 2022. This event will be combined with the Port Security Seminar & Expo to be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Calif. Joining these events together will provide attendees with the added value of expanded programming, greater networking opportunities and more exhibits from solution providers.

This new conference will bring together port leaders, policymakers, security experts and technology specialists to discuss how new technology is transforming the way ports do business and best practices to mitigate the risk of emerging security threats. Register for the combined Port Security and Smart Ports Seminar & Expo here. There are still a few remaining opportunities to showcase your company’s technologies and solutions through sponsorships and exhibits.

 

For those individuals who previously reserved a seat for Smart Ports, AAPA will transfer your registration to the new dates, and your hotel reservation will be modified accordingly. Registrants who are unable to attend the July 12-14 dates should contact Jen Wilk. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you in San Diego.

The Corn Belt Ports is a coordinating effort on behalf of ports in the Upper Mississippi River Basin with a focus on promoting economic development in the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway regions. The Corn Belt Ports team also works with regional stakeholders to ensure ecosystem maintenance, aquatic habitat restoration and long-term environmental sustainability, as well as preserving and improving water quality in the Mississippi River watershed.

Because ecosystem challenges, especially in supply chains, often cross jurisdictions, no single organization can make the type of systemic changes necessary to reduce economic, societal and environmental stressors. The best approach to sustainability may be to develop partnerships.

Seaports Magazine: www.aapaseaports.com 

AAPA has submitted letters featuring a suite of AAPA members' Federal appropriations requests to the Senate's and House of Representatives' respective Appropriations subcommittees and staff. Among these are requests to the following Appropriations Committee's subcommittees: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; Energy and Water Development; Interior and Environment; Commerce; and Homeland Security. In Tuesday’s AAPA Advocacy Update, members can view the formal letters sent to Appropriations subcommittees and more details on these Federal requests to use in outreach to your legislators.

As the FY 2023 appropriations process gets underway, AAPA is requesting Congress appropriate $750 million to the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The U.S. Congressional Ports Opportunity, Renewal, Trade, and Security (PORTS) Caucus Co-Chairs, Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), have authored a “Dear Colleague” letter addressed to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, requesting PIDP receive a $750 million appropriation in FY 2023. A copy of the letter is available here. AAPA encourages members to contact their Congressional delegation in the House of Representatives and request they sign the letter to express the seaport and maritime industry’s support for a robust appropriation to PIDP.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Sam Ruda, director of the port department, is stepping down, and Bethann Rooney will take the helm. Rooney brings more than three decades of experience to the role and has served as the port’s deputy director for the past three years. Ruda is credited with leading the port through record-breaking cargo volumes, while navigating challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions. He is departing to return to the West Coast. Rooney will assume the director role effective May 2.

Port Milwaukee will welcome the first cruise ship of the 2022 season when Viking Octantis docks in Milwaukee’s Harbor on May 6. Various cruise ships are expected to bring more than 10,000 passengers to the city on board the 33 port calls planned for the season. This is compared to the 10 stops made during the 2019 season, before the pandemic halted cruising for two years.

In celebration of Earth Day, Port Tampa Bay and the Propeller Club of Tampa Bay are hosting Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful’s second annual "Great Port Clean-up." Last year, nearly 350 port partners and dedicated community volunteers removed more than 19K pounds of trash and marine debris from 23 sites in and around the port.

Steve Otera has been named general counsel to the City of Los Angeles Harbor Department. Otera will oversee the legal team advising on Port of Los Angeles operations and serve as in-house counsel to port management and the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. Otera has worked nearly two decades at the Harbor Department, most recently as an assistant city attorney. He replaces Janna Sidley, who retired earlier this year.

After a more than two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Long Beach will once again host free harbor tours, offering the public a chance to visit the sights and sounds of the country’s second-busiest seaport. The narrated excursions will resume in May.

The Port of Los Angeles processed 958,674 TEUs in March, its third consecutive monthly cargo record. The port completed its best first quarter ever, tracking 3.5% above last year’s record. Executive Director Gene Seroka announced the latest cargo data during a media briefing where he hosted an interview with International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) leaders. Watch the ILWU interview here.