HOUSTON, May 4, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The goal of better port environments continues to be of utmost concern as world port leaders unanimously adopted a resolution Friday calling for ports to promote clean air programs to help fight global warming. The action came at the closing session of the 25th International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) World Ports Conference in Houston, Texas.
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The IAPH resolution reaffirms the group's recognition of ports' need to adopt clean air programs to better sustain development of the global society. IAPH urges ports, members and nonmembers alike to take active and effective steps towards clean air programs while stressing the critical need to develop integrated action plans for individual ports.
"There is no one-size-fits-all solution," the resolution says. "IAPH will continue to provide a forum to share best practices and experiences among the world's ports and collaborate further with United Nations agencies and other international organizations."
In his remarks at the ceremony, Houston Mayor Bill White encouraged the world's ports executives to create facilities that reduce environmental impacts.
"You are our heroes," said White, referring to those ports who are leading the way on green technologies.
"Ports have a tremendous challenge today," White added, as he urged delegates to take critically important environmental factors into consideration when they deal with the growth in international trade.
This has been a most productive and entertaining week for the IAPH delegates, who came to Houston from 50 different countries and all seven continents. They have participated in six work sessions, ranging in topics from the environment to port security and have heard from a long list of distinguished speakers, including U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Homeland Security Department Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson, Administrator of the Panama Canal Authority Roberto Aleman Zubieta and Executive Director of the Port of Los Angles Dr. Geraldine Knatz.
In his farewell remarks, outgoing President H. Thomas Kornegay urged delegates to "continue to share your ideas." He said, "IAPH's foundations continue to be based on unity, and cooperation is still alive and well."
IAPH made history by electing O.C. Phang, general manager of the Port Klang Authority, as the organization's first woman and first Malaysian IAPH president. Phang pledged to make IAPH "an even greater force in the maritime industry." Phang also said that the expanding membership base would be a major goal.
Along with Phang, incoming officers include:
* 1st Vice President for Africa/Europe Region Gichiri Ndua, corporate service manager, Kenya Ports Authority * 2nd Vice President for Americas Region Bernard Groseclose, Jr., president and CEO, South Carolina State Ports Authority * 3rd Vice President for Asia/Oceania Region Lim Heng Tay, chief executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore * Immediate Past President H. Thomas Kornegay, executive director, Port of Houston Authority * Conference Vice President Dr. Maurizio Bussolo, CEO, Finporto, Port Authority of Genoa
The IAPH Essay Contest winners and the IAPH IT Award winner were also announced at the conference. The winners of the Akiyama Award Essay Contest were Mr. Indranil Hazra of the Kolkata Port Trust and Mr. Sandhy Wijaya of the Indonesia Port Corporation I. Their essays were entitled "Suggestions to Improve Safety" and "Indonesia's CPO Marketing through Port of Belawan (A Port Performance Improvement Leads to Increasing Indonesian Product Competitiveness)" respectively.
Winners of the Houston Open contest were Mr. Hadi Karimi, Kaveh Marine and Port Services Co. from Iran with "Job Satisfaction at Ports" and Professor Theo Notteboom, ITMMA-University of Antwerp, with "What New Roles are Expected of a Port Authority as a 'Landlord,' in the Context of Global Competition."
The IAPH Information Technology (IT) Award has been presented biennially to demonstrate its commitment and leadership in promoting the use of IT in ports. The first place winner was Kelang Multi Terminal Sdn. Bhd. (Westport Malaysia).
Each evening, delegates participated in one of seven exciting social events held at some of Houston's most notable venues. Events were held at the Downtown Aquarium, the Hilton-Americas Hotel, Space Center Houston, the Pasadena Rodeo grounds and the Houston Zoo. A final event on Friday night will be held at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where delegates will be able to privately tour "The Masterpieces of French Painting from The Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1800-1920."
The International Association of Ports and Harbors was founded in 1955. For more than 50 years, IAPH has steadily developed as the leading organization in the global maritime industry. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the IAPH comprises representatives from more than 400 ports and top executives from major industry corporations in nearly 90 countries around the world. The members' ports as a whole handle 85 percent of the world's container traffic and more than 60 percent of the global seaborne trade. More information about IAPH is available on www.IAPHworldports.org. For more information regarding the conference, visit www.IAPH2007.com.
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