The initiatives of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) in ‘engaging’ the ports of the wider Caribbean have proven to be a sound strategy.

That initiative widened the scope and reach of the AAPA, bringing it into a relationship, through the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC), with all 19 member ports of that Association.

PMAC Executive Secretary and outgoing Chair of the AAPA Caribbean Delegation, Glenn Roach, said the Memorandum of Understanding that both organizations signed in 2015 effectively expanded the AAPA’s collaboration with the PMAC’s membership. Mr. Roach was speaking at the 108th Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities, held in Norfolk, Virginia, October 13 to 16, 2019.

Mr. Roach acknowledged the pivotal role played in building that relationship by AAPA President and CEO, Kurt Nagle, whose retirement after 35 years of service to the Association was celebrated at the event. Mr. Nagle’s successor is Christopher J. Connor, formerly of Wallenius Wilhemsen Logistics.

The AAPA Caribbean Delegation’s Chair for 2019/2020, Delton Jones, Deputy Director of Ports at the Ports Authority of the Turks and Caicos Islands formally took his chair at the Norfolk convention.
The Chair-elect of the Caribbean Delegation is Ms. Jane Brome of Barbados Port Inc. (Marketing and Cruise Operations). Country ports comprising the Caribbean delegation for the 2019/2020 year are: The Turks and Caicos Islands, Barbados, The Bahamas, Aruba, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Trinidad and Tobago. —