On Wednesday, April 5, AAPA, along with its entire hemispheric membership, will celebrate Western Hemisphere Ports Day. On this 8th annual celebration, the theme Strong Ports, Strong People, will recognize the industry’s role in ensuring supply chain efficiencies, building for a resilient future, and fostering professional development to propel the economy in nations they serve across the Americas. You can find a Ports Day toolkit on the AAPA website. We encourage you to participate by posting about how ports invest to strengthen commerce, create jobs and support economic development for the benefit of our communities. Join the celebration and use the official hashtags — #PortsDay #PortsUnited  #SeaportsDeliver — in your Ports Day posts on April 5 and beyond!

Visit the 2023 Western Hemisphere Ports Day Membership Center for membership deals during the month of April. In addition, AAPA's Career Center is honoring Ports Day with an exclusive savings promotion now through the end of April. Employers take 25% OFF your job listings when you use promo code 25OFFPORTSDAY at check out. Job Seekers who create an account and add a resume receive a FREE resume consultation. Visit the AAPA Career Center today to post your job or resume.

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The Galveston Wharves Board and staff are weighing best options for funding major capital projects slated for the next few years. It’s considering issuing $100 million in bonds to help fund much-needed, time-sensitive projects, including expansion of the West Port Cargo Complex, improvements to the Pier 25 cruise terminal, and construction of a proposed fourth cruise terminal at Pier 16.

The Ministry of Immigration and Border Services and the Turks and Caicos Islands Ports Authority announced the signing of the contract for construction Phases 1 and 2 of the capital project, South Dock Port Redevelopment in Providenciales with a local company — Island Site Development Ltd. This is one of several sub-projects of the South Dock Port Redevelopment project, which will take place over the next three to four years.

The Port of Oakland's container volume experienced another slow month. Total year-to-date volume compared to this time last year fell 14.1%. Full TEUs dropped 23% last month, with 113,814 TEUs transiting the port, in contrast to 147,620 TEUs in February 2022. Empty TEUs dropped 14% compared to February 2022, registering 40,023 TEUs this February versus 46,768 TEUs in February 2022.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was recently recognized for its dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the Transpacific Maritime Conference (TPM23) held February 27 to March 1 in Long Beach, Calif. Port Department Director Bethann Rooney was a panelist at the conference and accepted the Best Stand Out Retention Award in person on behalf of the port, which was the second year in a row it received a DEI-related achievement at the conference.

The Port of Brownsville continues its mission to advance business development in the Rio Grande Valley while conserving the regional ecosystem. At a regular board meeting held March 15, the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to pass a resolution recognizing the value of unique environmentally sensitive areas located within the 40,000 acres of the Port of Brownsville.

The Georgia Ports Authority has agreed to spend $170 million on 55 hybrid-engine rubber-tired gantry cranes to outfit the Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal, as it is redeveloped into an all-container facility. The hybrid machines will exclusively operate off electric battery power, with diesel generators running only to recharge batteries.

Ports of Indiana is donating five acres of land to a local high school FFA for students to grow crops and raise funds for future educational programs. Ports of Indiana has leased farmland to the Mount Vernon School District for several years, but this was the first time students have been invited to the port for an agreement signing, a port tour with the Ports of Indiana CEO, and to participate in an open house.

During its annual meeting in March, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board of Commissioners elected officers for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2023. The board elected Yvonne Solon to serve as president, succeeding Tony Sertich, who remains a board member along with Nancy Norr. This is Solon’s second appointment as president. Her first came in 1993, during a previous stint on the Duluth Seaway Port Authority board.

The 2023 shipping season has begun with the first shipment of cargo arriving in the Port of Green Bay on March 15 at 8:59 a.m. The Algocanada kicked off the season with a delivery of petroleum products to U.S. Venture. The arrival signals the port’s annual First Ship Contest.

The Port of New York and New Jersey (the Port) announced that its weekly Supply Chain Dashboard is now available on PortTruckPass (PTP). The Port Authority and marine terminal operators remain committed to identifying ways to increase transparency to improve their customers’ experience, including the many resources PTP offers.

The Mississippi State Port Authority has entered into a long-term lease and operating agreement with Ports America, the largest terminal operator and stevedore in the United States. One major feature of the deal is a $43 million investment from Ports America to develop the vacant Terminal 4 at the Port of Gulfport into a cargo-handling terminal.

State officials on Friday presented a ceremonial check reaffirming a $110 million pledge to help fund the nation’s first training facility specifically devoted to supply chain workers, located within the San Pedro Bay port complex. The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach Goods Movement Training Campus would provide a single and centralized location aimed at attracting, recruiting, and retaining workers in the goods movement sector.

Electronics Officer, U.S. Merchant Marine, Nationwide; American Radio Association