Col. Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.) will provide a keynote address titled Harnessing Headwinds of Change and Establishing Resiliency to attendees of the AAPA Annual Convention & Expo this fall. Drawing on her extraordinary 21-year Air Force career, Col. Nicole Malachowski, the first woman Thunderbird Pilot, combat veteran and squadron commander, will offer lessons on leadership, followership, overcoming adversity and establishing resiliency. Col. Malachowski has served as a White House Fellow and is an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame.

This dynamic keynote address is part of the AAPA Speakers Series sponsored by Port Corpus Christi. The AAPA Annual Convention & Expo will take place October 16-19, 2022 in Orlando, Fla. For more information on the business program, exhibit hall and registration, visit www.aapaorlando2022.org.

The NOAA Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) program provides critical data to support port development through risk assessment and sensitive resource mapping for all coastal areas. ESI maps and datasets are a product of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration and can be a critical resource for ports to better understand their natural and human-influenced environment. ESIs are a one-stop-shop that allow planners and responders to understand sensitive environments and support permitting, port development, risk assessment, help prepare for a potential spill, or evaluate the consequences after an incident.

 

ESI products display the sensitivity of shorelines to oil or chemical spills, as well as compiled information on biological resources, like plants and animal species, and relevant human-use resources such as parks and marinas. They are the leading industry standard for spill response and can support compliance activities associated with shipping and planning. The data is particularly relevant as sea level rise threatens coastal infrastructure around the country and communities seek to enhance the resiliency of their shorelines.

AAPA, operating under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD), has reissued a request for proposals (RFP) for consultants, educational institutions and/or other qualified contractors to provide survey research services. The selected contractor/team will (1) work with AAPA and MARAD to scope, develop and execute a comprehensive survey for U.S. ports and terminals to determine their future cargo handling equipment needs, and (2) identify manufacturers of cargo handling equipment and port items, with a particular focus on electrified equipment and domestic manufacturing. Proposals are due to AAPA by August 5, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. For more information, contact Derek Miller at dmiller@aapa-ports.org.

Latin America's largest port, the Port of Santos in Brazil, will be the epicenter of the XXX Latin American Congress of Ports (AAPA Latino) in November 2022. The Port of Santos will welcome more than 600 participants to this year's AAPA Latino, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Representatives for port authorities, directors, managers, executives, suppliers and consultants, terminals, logistics companies, shipping companies and key industry stakeholders will gather in Santos at the Blue Med Convention Center, from November 28-30, 2022, for what promises to be an unforgettable meeting. Learn more about the Port of Santos in this blog post and plan to be a part of AAPA Latino.

AAPA is pleased to announce Jennifer “Jen” Armstrong will join AAPA on August 1 as Director of Navigation Policy & Legislation within the Government Relations Department. Jen will enable AAPA to maintain its leadership and momentum in the areas of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, regulatory policies across National Marine Fisheries, U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA and much more. Jen comes to AAPA from one of, if not the most influential position in federal government in terms of port waterside funding: the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Water and Energy. She also has extensive Corps experience.

Jen served as the Republican Staff Director/Clerk of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, which provides $53 billion in funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Energy, and several independent agencies. Jen’s expertise is the water portfolio, which includes the Corps’ Civil Works mission and water supply activities in 17 western states under the purview of the Bureau of Reclamation. Prior to her work on the subcommittee, Jen was with the Corps of Engineers as a water resources planner, project manager and government affairs liaison specializing in navigation, coastal storm damage reduction and ecosystem restoration. Jen is a graduate of Old Dominion University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

 

Keonna Proctor joined AAPA as Accounting Associate in the Finance Department on July 11. Keonna’s position will focus on accounting (cash receipts, accounts payable) and will assist with administration tasks such as onboarding and all office-related issues. Keonna has over 15 years of experience in association accounting. Her cadre of skills has led to enhancing non-profit organizations in the areas of fiscal reporting on member dues, event management, CRM data reporting and grants management. Keonna holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Westwood College.

Strategic Service Solutions (SSS) is an information technology and security solutions integrator serving medium size and enterprise level clients in the maritime transportation and seaport industries. Based in Southern California and founded in 2011, SSS is a trusted partner to port and terminal operators who require technology and security solutions that do not compromise speed or efficiency as they operate their businesses. SSS provides core IT and networking services, managed IT services, security consulting and solution integration, maintenance and system monitoring, electrical and fiber optic services, and is a licensed contractor. Its team is comprised of industry-trained professionals with decades of experience in the maritime environment.

On Tuesday, the Florida Seaports Transportation and Economic Development Council (FSTED) released its annual report providing insight on cargo and cruise activity at Florida’s seaports and future trends. According to the report, Florida Ports: Open for Business, Florida’s 15 ports are well-positioned to support current supply chain demands and a realignment in global trade routes. Read the full report here.

The Port of Brownsville is one step closer to becoming one of the deepest ports in the Gulf of Mexico. The Brownsville Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a joint agreement for Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project. The agreement advances the project’s timeline to begin work on deepening the 17-mile long ship channel from 42 feet to 52 feet, resulting in significant navigational safety improvements for commercial shipping in South Texas.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. In past generations, port professionals looking for a chance to broaden their seaport acumen, advance their careers and shape the future of port leadership had few options. That has changed.

The Port of Long Beach achieved its most active June and busiest quarter on record, boosted by increased consumer demand as retailers stock shelves for back-to-school shopping. Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 835,412 TEUs in June, up 15.3% from the same month last year. Imports rose 16.4% to 415,677 TEUs, while exports saw a 1.4% decrease to 115,303 TEUs. The Port of Los Angeles moved 876,611 TEUs in June, edging out last year as the best June in the port’s 115-year history. At the mid-point of 2022, the port has handled more than 5.4 million TEUs, matching last year’s record-setting pace.

Human Resource and Administrative Director, Olympia, WA; Port of Olympia

Public Information Officer, Fort Lauderdale, FL; Port Everglades

Treasurer/ Chief Finance Officer, Camden, NJ; South Jersey Port Corporation

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Confidential

Financial Controller, Corpus Christi, TX; Port Corpus Christi Authority

Port of Alaska Modernization Program (PAMP) Engineering Manager, Anchorage, AK; Port of Alaska

Regulatory Specialist, San Francisco, CA; Port of San Francisco