While community outreach efforts of seaports often feature fun and games, what is at stake is a public awareness that is far more broad-reaching, extending to ensuring the very existence of port operations.
Awareness on Capitol Hill is essential to the securing of federal funding for programs that allow seaports to continue to operate smoothly, and, on a local basis, understanding of ports is equally critical.
One significant example from 2008 Election Day may be found in San Diego County, where the very future of the Port of San Diego rested in the hands of voters through a Nov. 4 referendum on Proposition B -- an initiative seeking nonmaritime waterfront development that would threaten the viability of the port's busy Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal cargo facility.
As legal attempts to keep the so-called Port of San Diego Marine Freight Preservation and Bayfront Redevelopment Initiative off the ballot failed, efforts continued in hopes of dispelling erroneous information and saving the working port.
In Northern California, the Nov. 4 ballot saw the Port of Redwood City under similar pressure, as Measure W sought to require a two-thirds public vote to allow any future development of Redwood City land considered open space -- a move that would severely constrain the port by divesting it of its land-use powers. The measure loomed to jeopardize not only ongoing port operations, but also critical public improvements, such as levee repair and construction of a new ferry terminal.
As the case with the San Diego initiative, port officials in Redwood City found themselves legally limited as to what they could do to specifically fight the measure. An accurate message nonetheless got out, and, as it turned out, both the San Diego and Redwood City measures were soundly defeated. Both ports credit their extensive public outreach and communications efforts for the favorable outcome.
Port officials in Vancouver, Wash., are well familiar with what can happen when misinformation sways voters. In August 2007, voters rejected by a 7-to-3 margin a referendum that would have facilitated the port industrial development district's acquisition of property critical to port growth. Much of the port district electorate had been under the misimpression that approval of the measure would have meant a doubling of property taxes.
Following the vote, Port of Vancouver USA officials proved they could successfully rebound as they initiated the education-focused "Pay as We Grow" plan, which has allowed the port, using general obligation bonds and port reserves, to secure 210 waterfront acres that had been occupied by a now-closed aluminum smelting facility. Port plans to obtain additional property have been deferred.
"We heard our constituents that they didn't want any more levy," said Nelson Holmberg, communications manager at the Port of Vancouver USA. "We recognize people must live within their means, so there's no reason we, as a port, shouldn't live within our means as well."
Mr. Holmberg termed the Pay as We Grow program "a huge success," commenting, "We used to hear, 'You're out there to increase our taxes and build an empire.' Now, we're hearing, 'We understand what you're doing, and go for it. You're bringing jobs and economic development in this difficult economy, and thank you.'"
Establishing productive dialogue with constituents and developing trusted relationships don't happen overnight. They often have their roots in community outreach programs that cultivate a broad sense of goodwill.
"Contributing to the social and cultural wellbeing of the community is an important element within the mandate of the Halifax Port Authority and its stakeholders," said Natalie Kenrick, public affairs and communications specialist for the Halifax Port Authority. "The authority's community investment program has been a vehicle through which the authority, with input from employees and stakeholders, has supported provincial initiatives with a focus on arts and culture and the environment. In 2007, the community investment program directed a total of $115,000 in support to community projects including Clean Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Film Festival's alFresco filmFesto, Neptune Theatre's March Break camp for youth, the Children's Fine Art Camp at Alderney Landing and the Mission to Seafarers."
In September, Kurt J. Nagle, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Port Authorities, was the keynote speaker for the chairman's breakfast at the two-day Port Days event hosted by the Port of Halifax.
Mr. Nagle was also a presenter at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Oct. 20 Port Industry Day business-to-business event, a function that complements that port's comprehensive community-oriented outreach program.
Many port-sponsored community events are designed to appeal to a broad range of constituents of all ages.
For example, the Port of Long Beach hosted on Oct. 4 its Green Port Fest 2008, the fourth annual edition of a community festival that attracts several thousand local residents to the port for free food and entertainment, including narrated boat tours and unprecedented passenger train excursions through a cargo terminal.
"Green Port Fest is the single largest public event we have at the port," said Heather Morris, director of communications and community relations at the Port of Long Beach. "This year, we had our highest attendance ever, with nearly 10,000 people.
"It's a major effort," Ms. Morris added, "but it pays off in a huge way through the information we're able to deliver and goodwill we're able to foster with our local community."
From the sandcastle-building contests and dragon boat races at the Long Beach Sea Festival to the open-air tram tours at Port Manatee, Fla., from the exhibit at the North Carolina State Fair of a working scale model of a North Carolina State Port Authority crane to tall sailing ships docking for public tours at the Port of Cleveland Fest, ports are delivering a friendly, informative message.
The Seaport Celebration at Terminal 6 of the Port of Portland, Ore., features a pirate-themed band and allows attendees to walk inside a cargo container, giving residents quite literally an inside glimpse at the significance of their local port.
An advance article promoting the Seaport Celebration on Portland-Oregon-Magazine.com points to the success of this and other free events held by seaports in communicating key messages: "From clothes to cars to computers, the kinds of things that you and your family depend on every day are delivered through the Port of Portland's marine terminals. Because most of the activity happens behind the scenes, the terminals have always been a bit of a mystery -- until now."
