Port of Hueneme Celebrates 2019 Western Hemisphere Ports Day

Highlighting the Economic and Social Justice Ports Provide Around the Globe

The Port of Hueneme is proud to be Ventura County’s door to the world, spurring global trade for local growers, manufacturers and businesses. Today, we celebrate our Port, as well as all others in our hemisphere, for the economic engines that they are for our country, as well as the job opportunities the ports provides. The Port of Hueneme handles billions in cargo, generates $1.5 billion in economic activity, and provides more than 13,633 trade-related jobs. The Port believes in fairness and opportunity for all in the community, providing opportunities for generations! We are as proud of our contribution to the area as we are of the people who make it possible.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas – and its entire hemispheric membership will commemorate Western Hemisphere Ports Day on April 5 again this year. The annual event recognizes the port industry’s role in creating jobs and propelling the economy in nations they serve across the Americas.

This year’s Ports Day theme is titled Celebrating Our Workforce. It’s in recognition of the skill, professionalism and commitment of the port industry workforce – the many hundreds of thousands of people who ensure that cargo and passengers move efficiently through Western Hemisphere ports every day.

The Port of Hueneme strives to provide pathways for local students to join the maritime workforce through the 12-week Global Trade and Logistics class. Open to all Oxnard Union High School District Juniors and Seniors, the class exposes the students to the various industries tied to the Port each week. For example, during one session the students may learn how automobiles get from the manufacturer to the dealership; and in another learn the logistics of the fresh produce shipping industry.

Local Oxnard Union High School Students learn about career pathways in maritime

Take a look at our local workforce at the Port

The Port also signed a Project Labor Agreement on December 10, 2018. This agreement guarantees local hire for construction projects at the Port. It also commits to supporting the “Helmets to Hardhats” program giving returning veterans a pathway to immediate jobs in the construction and labor industries.

Learn more about the Port’s PLA by clicking here.

In a new economic impacts report for U.S. coastal ports released on March 20 by Martin Associates, Lancaster, PA, the number of family-sustaining jobs that America’s ports support rose from 23.1 million in 2014 to 30.8 million in 2018, with average annual salaries now at $62,800 – up from $53,723 just five years ago. Of those nearly 31 million jobs, more than 650,000 are directly generated by cargo and vessel activity at U.S. ports.

Ports throughout the hemisphere are honoring the occasion in different ways – from photo contests and creating Ports Day t-shirts for staff to wear, to posting messages on social media of their economic and job contributions to their region.

“While recognizing the value that seaports play in our daily lives, Ports Day is also an opportunity to remind policymakers that ports need national support to be successful in facilitating the movement of trade that links all of us to the global economy,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. “While we always encourage folks to think about the role ports play in their life, their community and the economy, Ports Day is a special occasion to focus on the role of ports.

According to IHS Markit’s World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2017 totaled 4.303 billion metric tons in volume and US$2.675 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.741 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.024 trillion, while North American ports handled 1.90 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.305 trillion.

“It doesn’t matter if you live near a seaport or a thousand miles away from one,” stressed Mr. Nagle, “the products you depend on and goods your nation exports primarily move through ports. Without ports, our lives would be radically different.

“As the unified voice of seaports in the Americas, AAPA is proud to recognize the contributions of our member port authorities as we celebrate Western Hemisphere Ports Day,” he said. “I hope you’ll join us.”

For more information about Western Hemisphere Ports Day, click here.

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 World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2017 totaled 4.303 billion metric tons in volume and US$2.675 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.741 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.024 trillion, while North American ports handled 1.90 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.305 trillion. To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable.

The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast. The Port is governed by five locally elected Port Commissioners. The Port moves $9 billion in goods each year and consistently ranks among the top ten U.S. ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations support the community by bringing $1.5 billion in economic activity and creating 13,633 trade-related jobs. Trade through the Port of Hueneme generates more than $93 million in direct and related state and local taxes, which fund vital community services. In 2017, the Port of Hueneme became the first port in California to become Green Marine certified.