| News Release FOR RELEASE - August 4, 2008 Contact: Aaron Ellis, aellis@aapa-ports.org 703-706-4714 |
American Association of Port Authorities 1010 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 684-5700 Fax: (703) 684-6321 www.aapa-ports.org |
AAPA, GETF Announce Five Participants For 3rd Round Of EMS Assistance Project
18-Month Environmental Training Program Begins In October
In two previous rounds (2005-2006 and 2006-2007), a total of 15 public seaport agencies from throughout the United States participated in the rigorous assistance program, which provides organizations training on management processes and procedures so they can better analyze, control and enhance the environmental consequences of their activities.
Participating in the assistance project's third round, which begins in October, are: Georgia Ports Authority, South Carolina State Ports Authority, Port of San Diego, Port of Long Beach, and California United Terminals. All participants in this round will be working to create environmental management systems. At the request of three participants, AAPA and GETF offered a concurrent Security Management System (SMS) assistance training program last year.
"AAPA is pleased to continue to offer the Port EMS Assistance Project for port authorities that are seeking to use an environmental management system approach to enhance their environmental performance," said Kurt Nagle, AAPA's president and CEO. "We're also enthusiastic about the participation of a private marine terminal operator (California United Terminals) for the first time in our assistance program."
The EMS Assistance Project is divided into four phases, to be completed over an 18 month span. Each phase begins with an intensive workshop that prepares participants to train and lead their port-based EMS implementation teams through completion of the EMS. The workshops include hands-on activities, mentoring from GETF staff and current ports implementing EMSs, and team work sessions. Port specific guidance, document review and tools and resources are also provided throughout the project period.
EMS Assistance Project participants were selected based on top management involvement, organizational support and the ability to share experiences with peers, entities similar to their own and affiliated organizations.
ABOUT THE SPONSORS:
AAPA (www.aapa-ports.org/), founded in 1912, is the alliance of leading port authorities in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. The Association represents 160 seaport authorities and more than 300 sustaining and associate member firms and individuals with an interest in the seaports of the Western Hemisphere. AAPA fulfills its mission by protecting and advancing its members' common interests as they connect their communities with the global transportation system.
GETF (www.getf.org) is a Virginia-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the infrastructure for sustainable development. A central component of GETF's mission is to promote the use of management system approaches. Additional information is available at www.peercenter.net.
About AAPA
Founded in 1912, AAPA today represents 160 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 300 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. As a critical link for access to the global marketplace, each year, Western Hemisphere seaports generate trillions of dollars of economic activity, support the employment of millions of people and, in 2008, imported and exported more than 7.8 billion tons of cargo, valued at $8.6 trillion, including food, clothing, medicine, fuel and building materials, as well as consumer electronics and toys. The volume of cargo shipped by water is expected to dramatically increase by 2020 and the number of passengers traveling through our seaports will continue to grow. To meet these demands, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable.
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