Key Topics

Recruiting and retaining high-quality employees at public ports requires addressing unique challenges. By Meredith Martino Most project managers acknowledge the triple constraints of their work, sometimes called the Iron Triangle: quality, time and cost. If a project is of high quality and completed quickly, it’s going to cost a lot. If it’s completed quickly and at low cost, the quality ...

Two ports are finding ways to assist military members with transition to civilian employment. By Meredith Martino While the economic downturn of the past several years has hit all job seekers hard, veterans and members of the military transitioning from soldier to civilian roles have been the focus of particular attention in the United States. As service members end tours ...

From shippers to state agencies, carriers to the community, many groups have an interest in decisions made by the port. By Lori Musser Running a port in the 21st century is not a pursuit for the meek. Port business is important business, especially from an economic perspective. It is complex – spanning functions, modes, assets, geography, time and jurisdictions. Perhaps ...

AAPA’s Professional Port Manager program prepares to graduates its first class since implementing new guidelines four years ago. By Sarah Sain The American Association of Port Authorities PPM® (Professional Port Manager) program is ready to graduate its first class under new guidelines implemented in 2010. This new graduating class will be more ready than ever to serve and lead the ...

Ports are jumping in ‘feet first’ to combat this emerging threat to operations and safety. By Lori Musser The task of securing cyberspace has emerged as perhaps the single most important seaport security challenge of the decade. An increasing number of functions are dependent on port computer systems and the Internet. Any interference can have widespread impacts on business, employees, ...

Ports throughout the Western Hemisphere are showing leadership by undertaking energy-related projects aimed at increasing their renewable portfolio and positioning themselves for long-term sustainability By Meredith Martino The issue of energy is one that cuts across port management roles and departments. Energy efficiency and cost savings are topics that pique the interest of financial officers and operations managers, while green ...

Three certifications – ISO 14001, EcoPorts and Green Marine – help provide a framework to build a port’s environmental efforts and standards by which to measure ongoing improvements By Lori Musser Complying with environmental regulations has long provided the primary impetus for advancements at ports. That is rapidly changing. Today, more and more ports have the right resources in place ...

Elizabeth Ogden, PortMiami’s chief of architectural/engineering design services, oversees capital improvement projects that benefit the port, its stakeholders and the people of Miami-Dade County By Sarah Sain When speaking with PortMiami’s Elizabeth Ogden, one word kept coming up: community. After all, the community is who Ogden ultimately works for and what she’s passionate about. As chief of architectural/engineering design services ...

America’s ports are looking to turn the tide of the down economy by investing – on their own, using government funding and through public-private partnerships – in infrastructure that could lead to renewed prospects and prosperity By William E. Thompson Since the onset of the economic crisis a few years ago, the World Economic Forum has tracked the erosion of ...

America needs to make the right investments today to stay ahead in a competitive global economy that values efficiency and cost-effectiveness By Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) Across our nation, trade is an economic engine for American prosperity and growth. It’s a story we know well in Washington state, where 40 percent of jobs are tied to trade. Nationwide, more than ...