News Release
FOR RELEASE - June 11, 2020
Contact: Aaron Ellis, Public Affairs Director, aellis@aapa-ports.org
(703) 254-7098
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
 |
To ensure a safe, virus-free environment for engagement amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas – is shifting its 2020 Port Security Seminar and Expo from a traditional 2½-day in-person event held in a conference facility, to an innovative new virtual event experience called AAPA Anywhere.
Employing AAPA Anywhere, the hemispheric trade association’s 2020 Port Security Seminar & Expo will be conducted over the course of a week (July 13-17), delivering timely, relevant, pre-recorded content from subject matter experts, exclusive face-to-face networking and interaction opportunities with seminar speakers and industry colleagues, and educational opportunities from industry solution providers.
Registered seminar participants will be able to review pre-recorded content at their leisure, participate in daily live Q&A sessions with presenters, exchange private messages with colleagues through an event app, and meet with exhibitors in virtual, informal small groups.
In addition, AAPA, in conjunction with its ACCELerate grant program, will offer a brand-new Cybersecurity certificate as part of its Industry Recognized Port Credential (IRPC) professional development curriculum. The certificate will be available to participants who agree to complete the Port Security Seminar, participate in three standalone training seminars and complete a small culminating project. The cyber certificate will support new U.S. Coast Guard requirements for facility security plans to include a cybersecurity component.
“With AAPA Anywhere, we’ll be able to deliver a high-quality online experience by providing attendees with tested technology solutions, clear instructions for the virtual experience and suggestions and tips to get the most out of this year’s Port Security Seminar & Expo,” said AAPA Member Engagement Vice President Meredith Martino. “Similar to our face-to-face conferences, this event will also offer our port industry solution providers heightened visibility through sponsorship opportunities and give event exhibitors one-on-one connections with existing and potential customers.”
Day 1 of the virtual event will feature government officials and other subject matter experts discussing port security impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Duane Davis, Port Security Grant Section Chief at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington, D.C. Day 2 and Day 3 will cover trends and other aspects of cybersecurity, including domain awareness and apprenticeship training. Day 4 will feature presentations on and about Customs and Border Protection (CBP) roles, responsibilities, challenges and achievements in the maritime sector. Day 5 will examine emerging threats and regulations on the port security front, including discussions related to cybersecurity, use of drones, and U.S. Coast Guard pandemic policing and drug interdiction.
For more information about AAPA’s 2020 Port Security Seminar and Expo, click here.
| WHO: | Hosted by American Association of Port Authorities |
| WHAT: | AAPA’s 2020 Port Security Seminar and Expo event |
| WHEN: | Monday through Friday, July 13-17, 2020 |
| WHERE: | Virtually through AAPA Anywhere |
| MEDIA: | Professional journalists representing bona-fide media outlets may request complimentary access to pre-recorded content from this event by emailing Aaron Ellis at aellis@aapa-ports.org. |
About AAPA
Founded in 1912 and recognized as the unified voice of seaports in the Americas, AAPA today represents 130 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 200 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports.
According to IHS Markit’s GTA Forecasting (previously known as World Trade Service), combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere seaports in 2018 totaled nearly 4.2 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.7 trillion in value. Of that combined total, seaports in Central and South America handled 1.86 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.17 trillion, while North American seaports handled 2.34 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.53 trillion. Within North America, U.S. seaports handled 1.01 billion metric tons of international trade valued at US$1.95 trillion, while Canada’s seaports handled 380.53 million metric tons of goods valued at US$266.67 billion, and Mexico’s seaports handled 352.53 million metric tons of cargo valued at US$312.91 billion.
To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable. For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org. On Twitter: http://twitter.com/AAPA_Seaports
