2014 MED Workshop Focused On Development Challenges and Measuring Effectiveness

AAPA's 2014 Maritime Economic Development Workshop, hosted by the Port of San Diego on February 20-21, drew nearly 80 participants from AAPA’s the United States, Canada and Caribbean port delegations. Participants came to identify and discuss key economic development challenges at their ports (including cargo, passenger and infrastructure development), explore methods for addressing those challenges, and talk about measurement techniques that help ensure limited resources are used most effectively. 

The venue also provided a great opportunity to hear from an assortment of government officials on how ports can work with representative government agencies on everything from policy reform and terminal development to connecting transportation infrastructure.

AAPA President Kurt Nagle (right) presents San Diego Port Board President Bob Wilson with a plaque thanking the port of hosting the Marine Economic Development Workshop.
Photo/Dale Frost, Port of San Diego

The workshop opened with presentations by U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA/District 52), San Diego City Council Member Mark Kersey (District 5) and San Diego Association of Governments Executive Director Gary Gallegos on how the port and its government partners are working together to create jobs, attract business and visitors, develop transportation infrastructure and open up new opportunities for taxable investment. Ensuing sessions dealt with export development, what cargo shippers look for in a port-of-call, "problem-solving" big new infrastructure developments, supply chain logistics optimization, and measuring the effectiveness of port promotions and sponsorships.

After the workshop, there was a discussion of topics for the 2015 MED Workshop, with consensus being that it should focus on moving energy commodities and developing energy-related facilities – from coal, ethanol, methane and LNG to wind, wave and solar.

Click here to view the MED Workshop presentations.

Workshop panel on Cooperation Story Between the City and Port of San Diego, with Congressman Scott Peters ( at the podium), San Diego City Councilor Mark Kersey, and San Diego Association of Governments Executive Director Gary Gallegos.
Photo/Dale Frost, Port of San Diego