Two California State Dignitaries Create A Big Splash During First Visit to The Port of Hueneme
Chair of Select Committee on Ports & Goods Movement and GO-Biz Director Tour Port of Hueneme
[Port Hueneme, CA – February 5, 2024] – The Port of Hueneme welcomed two distinguished visitors, Dee Dee Myers, the Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), and Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, Chair of the Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement. The two California officials toured The Port of Hueneme’s onsite facilities and learned about its unique Hueneme Way of supporting logistics and trade through its collaboration and utilization of offsite facilities to create more job opportunities for local residents and maximize the throughput and efficiency of California bound cargo. As the only deep-water Port between Los Angeles and San Francisco, The Port of Hueneme serves as a vital link in the supply chain, handling over $15.8 billion worth of cargo annually.
Director Myers visited The Port of Hueneme on her way to keynote a local Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) event honoring port CEO Kristin Decas as the new board chair. The very next day, as part of his tour of all ports along the California Coast Assemblymember Gipson met with port officials, stakeholders, and workers to learn about The Port of Hueneme’s operations, challenges, and achievements. His goal is to gather insights, best practices, and opportunities from each of the ports to inform a comprehensive white paper that will guide the state’s policies and investments in this vital industry. Both Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson were instrumental in establishing a $27 million Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a partnership among five California container ports to help build greater cooperation and standardization when it comes to the collection, transformation, of supply chain data amongst California ports and the state.
(Center) Kristin Decas, CEO & Port Director, Port of Hueneme; Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor and Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz); Celina Zacarias, Oxnard Harbor District President; are joined by Port of Hueneme staff, members of ILWU l-46, Operations Manager of Del Monte, and Martin Erickson, Executive Director, Ventura County Transportation Commission for a boat tour of The Port.
“We are honored to have had Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson visit our Port and witness our logistics and trade excellence,” said Celina Zacarias, President of the Oxnard Harbor District Board of Commissioners. “The Hueneme Way is the result of our collaborative efforts with our customers, our community, and our state. We are proud to be a model of innovation and efficiency for the maritime industry.”
(Center) Celina Zacarias, Board President, Oxnard Harbor District; Jason T. Hodge, Secretary, Oxnard Harbor District, Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, Chair of Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement; Kristin Decas, CEO & Port Director, Port of Hueneme; Jess J. Ramirez, Vice President, Oxnard Harbor District; Laura E. Lane, Platinum Advisors; are joined by members of the Pacific Maritime Association, the Office of Senator Monique Limon, the Office of Assemblymember Steve Bennett, at Anacapa Fresh Logistics in Oxnard.
The Port is a leader in logistics and trade, having established strategic partnerships with several companies. Offsite facilities such as BMW North America and Anacapa Fresh Logistics, which Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson toured, increase the speed and quality of service and further reduce emissions because of their close proximity to the Port of Hueneme. Together, the Port and its partners utilize state-of-the-art technology and equipment to ensure the safe and smooth movement of cargo, such as automobiles, and produce such as bananas, blueberries, and pineapples.
Scott Fitzpatrick of BMW North America gives Director Myers a tour of his facility on Arcturus Rd. in Oxnard.
“The Port of Hueneme is a shining example of how ports can be both engines of growth and champions of sustainability,” said Director Myers. “The Port’s logistics and trade support is impressive and commendable as it enhances the competitiveness and resilience of our supply chain and reduces our environmental impact. This is a win-win for our economy and our planet.”
Assemblymember Gipson echoed Director Myers’ sentiments and added: “As the Chair of the Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement, I am impressed by the Port of Hueneme’s achievements and aspirations. The Port is a vital asset for our state — supporting thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in tax revenue. The Port’s logistics and trade support is exemplary and inspiring as it showcases the power of partnership and technology to optimize our supply chain and serve our customers. This is a great example of how California leads the way in innovation and collaboration.”
Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, Chair of Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement tours The Port of Hueneme Harbor with port staff, Laura E. Lane, Platinum Advisors; members of the Pacific Maritime Association, and the Office of Senator Monique Limon, the Office of Assemblymember Steve Bennett.
Both Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson were welcomed by Kristin Decas, CEO and Port Director of The Port of Hueneme, representatives from Naval Base Ventura County, the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County, and the FATHOMWERX facility located at The Port of Hueneme.
Director Myers tours FATHOMWERX at The Port of Hueneme.
FATHOMWERX is a technology-based collaborative that fuses academia, civilian and DoD partners to work on the most challenging problems in the Port and maritime domains. It serves as a public-private laboratory, community, and resource for technological innovation, leveraging the unique assets and capabilities of The Port of Hueneme and the surrounding ecosystem. During the tour, Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson learned about the various projects and programs that FATHOMWERX supports, such as unmanned systems, environmental monitoring, Port security, and workforce development. They also interacted with some of the entrepreneurs, researchers, and student leaders who are part of the FATHOMWERX network and witnessed demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies and prototypes.
Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson tours FATHOMWERX located at The Port of Hueneme.
Director Myers praised FATHOMWERX for its role in fostering economic development and innovation in the region. “Ports are the lifeline of California, connecting us to the rest of the world and generating billions of dollars in revenue and taxes,” she said – “FATHOMWERX is helping our Ports to become more efficient, resilient, and competitive in the global market, while also addressing the environmental and social challenges that they face. I commend The Port of Hueneme and its partners for their vision and leadership in establishing this innovative hub.”
Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson expressed their appreciation for the Port’s leadership and vision and praised the Port for its economic and environmental contributions to the region and the state.
“The Port of Hueneme is proud to be a gateway for international trade and a source of jobs and economic prosperity for our region. We thank Director Myers and Assemblymember Gipson for their time and commitment to helping us continue to Make Cargo Move! Their leadership and support for California ports, like ours, is vital for our region’s economic resilience and development.” – Kristin Decas, CEO and Port Director of The Port of Hueneme.
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The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast. Five locally elected Port Commissioners govern the Port. The Port consistently ranks among the top ten U.S. Ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations support the community by bringing $2.8 billion in economic activity and creating 24,997 trade-related jobs. Trade through the Port of Hueneme generates more than $236 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 and was voted the Greenest Port in the U.S. at the Green Shipping Summit. www.Portofh.org.
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