October 21, 2022 — The Port of Long Beach earned three Awards of Excellence – the equivalent of first-place trophies – from the American Association of Port Authorities for outstanding communications campaigns at the organization’s annual conference in Orlando, Fla. on Tuesday.

The Port was recognized for achievements in the Special Events and Visual-Only Presentations categories judged by the AAPA, which represents more than 130 seaports in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Long Beach competed in a class composed of the larger seaports.

“These awards illustrate the Port’s hard work in educating the public about our role as an economic engine for the region, a community partner and a pioneer in environmental sustainability,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, who is the outgoing chairman of the AAPA.

“This recognition is a testament to the Port’s ability to develop creative and innovative messages directed toward a diverse set of community and industry partners,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Sharon L. Weissman.

In the Special Events category, the Port earned top honors for the 2022 State of the Port held in January. Presented as “The Year of Transformation,” the annual event highlighted the past year’s accomplishments in the face of challenges presented by trade wars, the COVID-19 pandemic and competition while also setting the tone for the year ahead.

An event marking the opening of the South Waterfront-Pier J Bike and Pedestrian Path and an accompanying bike ride held in May 2021 was also lauded by AAPA judges in the Special Events category. As the first in-person event hosted by the Port following the COVID-19 pandemic, the pathway’s opening presented an opportunity to showcase Long Beach’s vast network of bike trails and linking the Port to the Los Angeles River Bike Trail.

Additionally, an illustrated timeline of “The Green Port Through the Years” was honored in the Visual-Only Presentation category for acknowledging the Port’s environmental successes during Earth Month 2021. Designed to be augmented as new environmental initiatives are introduced, the illustrated timeline was produced in both graphic format for the Port’s new website, and also in video format for social media and other uses.