It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of the greatest champions of our industry: Steve Cernak, president and CEO of Port Everglades. Steve was an AAPA friend, a loyal colleague and a stalwart leader of AAPA. As chairman of AAPA last year, he dedicated all of his energy to promoting our industry. Even during his serious illness, his zeal for this industry was unsurpassed.

If improving your business skills and attracting more customers to your port are among your 2019 goals, AAPA’s April 2-3 Business Development Workshop in Houston is just for you. Those who register before March 29 can join their workshop colleagues on a 1½-hour M/V Sam Houston dinner tour of the Houston Ship Channel from 6-7:30 p.m. on April 2, compliments of our workshop host, Port Houston!

The Port of Sept-Îles is pleased to sponsor the International Congress on Industrial Port Research (CIRSIP 2019), which will take place in Sept-Îles, Québec, Canada from May 27-31, 2019. The theme of the conference is “Scientific research as a management tool.” Participants will learn how some of the top minds in the field are improving port operations and making great strides toward sustainable development. For more information about the convention and its program, visit the Congress website. We hope to see you there!

The first Mercedes Benz cars – part of a pilot-run of the new Vehicle Processing Centre (VPC) – have arrived at the Port of Nanaimo. It’s been almost a year since the port announced the partnership between Western Stevedoring and the Auto Division of SSA Marine to set up a 60,000-square-foot facility near the waterfront to do final detailing on European automobiles prior to their delivery to dealerships for sale. The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the sale of 2.28 acres of light-industrial land to Fisher Construction Group Inc. for $873,000. The firm will build its Vancouver offices at the site.

We are proud to be working with Port of Virginia to host the 108th AAPA Convention. The Convention and Expo is AAPA’s largest membership meeting of the year. Held every fall, the convention includes technical and policy committee meetings, business sessions and social events allowing port professionals and stakeholders in the marine transportation industry to exchange views and expand business contacts. After several years, this event returns to Norfolk, Virginia. Join us October 13-16, 2019.

This year, Western Hemisphere Ports Day will take place on April 5, 2019, and we will celebrate the skill, professionalism and commitment of the port industry workforce. Our workforce comprises thousands of people who ensure that cargo and passengers move efficiently through our ports every day. Join us and our Ports Day supporters, TransPorts and Lamar University, in saluting our ports and its workforce! Share with us what you have planned and we will share it with the industry; contact AAPA's Andrew Cameron (acameron@aapa-ports.org) for more information. In honor of Ports Day and our port workforce, recieve $100 off a job-posting package on the AAPA Career Center using the promo code: PORTSDAY2019