Partnerships: Corpus Christi/Santa Marta, New Orleans, Palm Beach

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The Port of Corpus Christi Authority reaffirmed its Memorandum of Understanding with Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta (SPSM) during a visit on March 17 to Corpus Christi by a delegation from Santa Marta headed by SPSM General Manager Mauricio Suárez. The University of New Orleans (UNO) and the Port of New Orleans have entered into a five-year agreement aimed at assessing the port's activities in order to achieve greater sustainability. A Port of Palm Beach tenant is providing free ocean freight, loading costs and transportation of a pontoon boat that will be used as a floating classroom in Haiti.

Corpus Christi, Santa Marta Reaffirm Partnership

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority reaffirmed its Memorandum of Understanding with Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta (SPSM) during a visit on March 17 to Corpus Christi by a delegation from Santa Marta headed by SPSM General Manager Mauricio Suárez. The original MOU was signed in 2007 in Colombia.

In reaffirming the MOU, the two ports continue their joint effort to promote and facilitate trade between Texas and Colombia. This includes partnering in research and innovation to enhance business relationships, promoting port infrastructure, developing logistics activities at the other port, and sharing knowledge of facilities and benefits.

Santa Marta General Manager Mauricio Suárez (left) and Port Corpus Christi Executive Director John LaRue with pens in hand ready to sign the renewed MOU between their ports.
Photo/Port Corpus Christi

Port of New Orleans and University Announce Port Sustainability Project

The University of New Orleans (UNO) and the Port of New Orleans have entered into a five-year agreement aimed at assessing the port's activities in order to achieve greater sustainability. UNO researchers will prioritize environmental measures and develop strategies to minimize energy consumption, as well as reduce waste and pollutants.

UNO's Maritime Environmental Resources and Information Center is already engaged in maritime environmental management projects designed to promote sustainability and green business practices. These projects focus on the use of cleaner materials, cleaner production processes, multimedia waste reduction, energy optimization and the use of Web-based and knowledge-based systems to achieve sustainability goals.

In this case, UNO will:

• Survey Port of New Orleans facilities and operations to understand and assess important operations, energy use and waste generation.
• Develop critical indicators that will reveal historical changes in energy consumption, water consumption and waste generation.
• Survey the top 10-15 ports in the world to determine benchmarks for water consumption, energy consumption, air pollution generation and wastewater generation.
• Develop strategies and tools for the Port of New Orleans to acquire both short-term and long-term benefits using the knowledge gained from the research.

UNO researchers will provide the Port of New Orleans with yearly reports, which will track critical sustainability indicators for the port.

"UNO has years of experience with the maritime industry, particularly in shipbuilding, ship repair and ship recycling," said Bhaskar Kura, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of UNO's Maritime Environmental Resources and Information Center. "We will draw on our past research and collaborations within the global maritime community to help the port of New Orleans improve productivity while reducing its burden on the environment."

Just last month (Advisory, February 18, 2014), the port entered into a partnership with the Merritt C. Becker University of New Orleans Transportation Institute that will focus on transportation research, community outreach and workforce development.

Palm Beach Port Tenant Assists Maritime Academy Haitian Project

Port of Palm Beach tenant Teeters Agency & Stevedoring,Inc., and its shipping line Monarch Shipping Co, Ltd., are helping students of Riviera Beach Maritime Academy by providing ocean freight, loading costs and transportation of a pontoon boat to Haiti.

Students enrolled the academy's Haiti Ocean Project spent more than a year working on rehabilitating the 20-foot-long vessel, which is being sent to Petite-Rivière-de-Nippes for use as a floating classroom.

"The vessel is for both American and Haitian students," said Jamie Aquino, a former teacher at the Academy and project coordinator. "Many of the kids in Haiti never get out on the ocean."

The area, about 65 minutes from Port-au-Prince, attracts sperm whales, dwarf sperm whales and pilot whales, creating, according to Ms. Aquino, "a perfect location for eco-tourism and education."

The Haiti Ocean Group is working to educate Haitian fishermen on marine conservation, as well as giving the academy students a chance to visit the country, study the habitat, develop a sea camp and lay the foundation for an eco-tourism attraction.

Ms. Aquino and her students reached out to the Port of Palm Beach District Board of Commissioners for support. The port responded by facilitating the relationship with Teeters, which has been shipping cargo from Palm Beach to Haiti since 1994.

Teeters Agency & Stevedoring, Inc., is a family-owned and operated business and has been a tenant at the Port of Palm Beach since the early 1980s.

"This program will not only help the people Haiti, but the students who are in our own community," said Cindy Lou Teeters. "Shipping these types of items to Haiti is what our company has done for generations, so we were eager to help these students."

The port supported the initiative by waiving its customary fees.

"Of course we wanted to do what we could to help these students who not only have an interest in the maritime industry, but study in the port's backyard," said Port District Board Chairman Edward R. Oppel. "They have worked hard on this project, and it's nice to see their plans come to fruition."

Ro/Ro Monarch Queen in Palm Beach after loading Haiti Ocean Project pontoon boat.
Photo/Port of Palm Beach