Page 29: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (May/Jun 2019)

28 30

INSIGHTS

E y e r d a m

What IS PORTCON 2019, anyway?

The latest version involved panels and presentations from a raft of port professionals, and an impressive array of port security technology.

By Rick Eyerdam personnel. Rarely does a deputy port director move up to a port director position without the CPE behind his name. PORTCON

PORTCON 2019, this one in May at Port Canaveral, is the semi-annual event hosted calculates alumni of over 500 seaport managers, and PORTSTAR, by the MacDonnell Group and the (CPE) Certi?ed Port Execu- an online seaport security training solution that over 20,000 sea- tive Program. The plan is to meet the constantly evolving needs port employees have participated in. of senior management from port authorities; terminal operators, The conference also acts as the opportunity for an annual update government and industry supply chain partners with a unique pro- for senior seaport management on key issues. MacDonnell Security fessional learning opportunity. Risk Management provides a wide range of comprehensive security solutions to ensure compliance with Maritime Safety Regulations.

PORTCON 101 This year the PORTCON student sessions were: Leadership,

Though the PORTCON meetings are typically held in sunny ports; Security and Technology, Optimization and Digitization, Cli-

Tampa, Miami, Long Beach are recent examples, and they are sold mate Change, Automation and Port Infrastructure. They were as sessions where attendees learn from the speaker presentations and structured around presentations and panel discussions over the panels, from the solution providers in the expo, and by networking course of two full days. Senior professionals from the industry with their peers. The program awards participants 1.5 Continuing shared their expertise and experiences with the audience. In fact,

Education Units (CEUs) toward the ultimate goal of a CPE. Maritime Logistics Professional Editor Joseph Keefe moderated

These (CPE) Certi?ed Port Executive Program attendees are a panel discussion which surrounded the top issues facing port the ascending middle echelon of the nation’s port and terminal professionals today.

Credit: ISS www.maritimelogisticsprofessional.com 29

I