American Association of Port Authorities

2019 AAPA Communications Awards

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas, notified 31 of its 130-member seaports throughout the Western Hemisphere that they’ve earned one or more awards for exemplary communications projects and programs as part of the trade association’s annual Communications Awards Program.

Sponsored by the AAPA Public Relations Committee, the annual Communications Awards Program has recognized excellence in port communications since 1966. For its 53rd Annual Communications Awards Program, shark&minnow earned six awards:

• Award of Excellence – Port of Monroe – portofmonroe.com (Website)
• Award of Distinction – Port of Cleveland – Field Guide (Directory/Handbook)
• Award of Distinction – Port of Cleveland – Port50 (Campaign)
• Award of Distinction – Port of Cleveland – Rock the Port (Special Events)
• Award of Distinction – The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership & Ports of Indiana – Great Lakes Maritime Day (Special Events)
• Award of Merit – Port of Monroe – Michigan’s Gateway Port (Campaign)

“The Communications Awards Program judges told us that this year’s entries set a new, higher standard of excellence than ever before,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. “This competition helps our member ports by rewarding strategic communications through peer-reviewed analyses of their programs and projects, and by showcasing best practices and lessons learned.”

He added: “When port authorities communicate strategically with their many audiences, including their communities, business leaders and policymakers, they’re better able to show their tremendous value as drivers of economic development, environmental enhancement and job creation.”

The 2019 AAPA Communications Awards Program utilized 32 professional public relations practitioners from the Washington, D.C. area who cumulatively spent 128 hours over two weeks judging the 15 classifications of entries, ranging from advertisements, periodicals, videos and websites, to social media and overall campaigns.

Based on the number of points awarded each entry by the judges, three of the 79 entries earned an Overall Award of Communications Excellence trophy, while 24 entries earned an Award of Excellence (similar to first place), 33 entries scored an Award of Distinction (similar to second place), and 15 entries netted an Award of Merit (similar to third place).

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.  For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org.