Cal Maritime Leadership Symposium

Trade and transportation organizations with close ties to California’s vital maritime industry will gather in Sacramento May 12-14 for the California Maritime Leadership Symposium.  The event is organized by The California Association of Port Authorities (CAPA), California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference (CMANC), California Marine & Intermodal Transportation System Advisory Council (CALMITSAC), The Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce, the Propeller Club of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the California Maritime Academy.

“Our focus will be education and information,” explained David Hull, Port Director of the Humboldt Bay Harbor District and chair of the symposium.  “We want to expand public and private understanding of the critical role our ports and harbors play in California’s economy, and of the substantial “green technology” initiatives industry has taken in recent years.  We also want to review additional plans, now in development, which can expand these efforts with further public/private cooperation and support.”

“Over 90% of all raw materials and manufactured goods entering and leaving the country, move by maritime transportation – over 40% of it via California ports,” added Senator Alan Lowenthal, Chair of the Senate Transportation and Housing Sub-Committee on California Ports and Goods Movement.  “A strong working relationship is needed between the private sector and all levels of government to assure we can sustain needed levels of service and functionality.  Congress this year will be making major decisions on allocations for infrastructure expansion and modernization nationwide.  Because these resources will be finite, California’s trade and transportation industry has worked together to identify a joint set of infrastructure priorities with the greatest potential to increase efficiency, and reduce environmental impacts.  These range from double-tracking and tunnel expansions for regional rail movement of containerized goods, to enhanced corridors between ports and terminals and inland distribution and warehousing centers to reduce congestion and pollution and speed goods movement.”

The program begins Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at the Hyatt Hotel in Sacramento.  Expert panelists will explore new and proposed state and federal laws and regulations governing water and air quality, and habitat and species protection and how those laws impact state ports and harbors now and in the future.  They include representatives of the State’s Water Resources Board, wetlands and air resources organizations, NOAA, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife.  Afternoon sessions will cover current and planned industry green technology initiatives to address these challenges.

Wednesday’s morning program will profile the state’s ports and harbors, their value to the state’s economy and infrastructure, and their needs heading into the next decade.  In the afternoon, Keith Lesnick, Director of the Office of Intermodalism for the U.S. Maritime Administration will join a group of specialists to discuss current and future industry economic trends, the State’s budget crisis and its impact on current and future planning, and federal economic stimulus funding and how it will impact infrastructure investments.  A Capitol reception that evening will include a special presentation to the California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference for their 50 years of work promoting the health of California’s ports and harbors.

On Thursday, at 9:00 a.m., the Senate of the State of California will present a Proclamation honoring the State’s ports and their role in the state’s economic health.

The membership of CALMITSAC will hold their annual meeting from 10:00 a.m. to noon that day before the program adjourns.

“We encourage members of the public, legislators and their staff members, and the media to join us,” Mr. Hull added.  “It will be a great opportunity to learn more about this often invisible segment of the trade and transportation network so vital to the health of our economy.”

Program overview and online registration can be found at www.cmanc.com/web/upme.htm under Summer Meeting/Sacramento May 12-14.