As part of its 2020 Together Apart Annual Convention and Expo, Sept. 21-23, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) … the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas … will recognize 28 port authorities for earning honors this year in its annual Environmental Improvement, Facilities Engineering, Information Technology and Communications awards programs, and will also present its 2020 Port Person of the Year award.

Since 1973, AAPA’s Environmental Improvement Awards program has recognized activities which benefit the environment at its member ports. This year’s awards program has winners in three of its four project entry categories: 1) Mitigation; 2) Comprehensive Environmental Management; and 3) Stakeholder Education, Awareness and Involvement.

This year’s Environmental Improvement Awards’ Mitigation category winners are: the Maryland Port Administration, earning an Award of Excellence for its successful project, Algal Flow Way; and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, championing an Award of Merit for its project, Dredge Material Center of Innovation.

Port Everglades receives an Award of Excellence in the Comprehensive Environmental Management category for its entry, Port Everglades Comprehensive Environmental Management Program, while the Port of Everett takes home an Award of Distinction in the same category for its Innovative Dredge Material Management Program entry, and an Award of Merit goes to the Massachusetts Port Authority for its Conley Terminal Modernization Program Soil Reclamation & Reuse Initiatives entry. Additionally, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey earns an Honorable Mention for its project, Yard Tractor Electrification Study.

In the Environmental Improvement Awards’ Stakeholder Education, Awareness and Involvement category, the Port of Tacoma wins an Award of Excellence for its entry, Port of Tacoma Habitat Restoration Story Map and Critter Quiz.

AAPA’s Information Technology Awards program, which began in 2002, highlights port technology accomplishments in the areas of Port Operations and Management Systems and in Improvements in Intermodal Freight Transportation.  The 2020 Port Operations and Management Systems category Award of Excellence goes to the ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Montréal Port Authority for its submission, Port of Montreal Digital Twin. In the same category, the Award of Distinction goes to the Port of Long Beach for its submission, Pilot Slips Application, while the Port of Long Beach also wins the Award of Merit in the same category for its submission, Temporary Berth Assignments.

The goal of AAPA’s 17-year-old Facilities Engineering Awards program is to recognize excellence, innovation and performance by port engineering professionals. For 2020, the Port of Long Beach, in partnership with Cavotec and International Transportation Service, win for their joint design and construction project, Port of Long Beach Smart eTruck Charging. Additionally, AAPA is recognizing Mexico’s Port of Veracruz (API Veracruz) for its award-wining construction project, Expansion and Modernization of the Veracruz Port.

In AAPA's 54-year-old Communications Awards Program, the winners of which AAPA announced on July 24, the three trophy recipients are: Port of Long Beach (Category 3); Port of Everett (Category 2); and Port of Redwood City (Category 1). Each of the three ports won one of the association’s Award of Overall Communications Excellence trophies. Each represents a different category of port, based on the size of its public relations, advertising and marketing budget. In addition to the three trophy winners, another 20 ports will be recognized during the opening ceremonies of the convention for earning awards of Excellence, Distinction and/or Merit in AAPA’s communications competition.

“We appreciate every entrant and congratulate every winner in this year’s AAPA awards programs—Environmental Improvement, Information Technology, Facilities Engineering and Communications – for investing the time to prepare their entries, get peer review from the judges, share their work, and highlight best practices and lessons learned in their respective competitions,” said Christopher J. Connor, AAPA president and CEO. “When port authorities work with their many stakeholders, including their communities, business leaders and policymakers, to develop projects like the ones entered into these competitions, they’re better able to demonstrate their tremendous value as drivers of economic development, environmental enhancement and job creation.”

Just prior to announcing winners in the four AAPA awards programs, the association will present this year’s Port Person of the Year award to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Rickey “R.D.” James for his dedication in leading the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline processes for maintaining and improving America’s civil works infrastructure, including its deep-draft shipping channels. AAPA announced Mr. James as the award recipient in February.

More information about AAPA’s 109th Annual Convention and Expo, including its business program agenda, exhibitors and sponsors, is available at www.aapatogetherapart.org.