The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) hosted a newly created Port Opportunities with Energy, Resilience & Sustainability (POWERS) Summit & Exposition that took place January 24 through 26, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. Attending this first-time summit was Port General Manager Rory J. Respicio and Port Board member Conchita Taitano.

The POWERS Summit & Expo brought together port executives, energy leaders, environmental experts, and other key stakeholders for deep-dive conversations on emerging sustainability solutions in the port industry.

Ports sit at the epicenter of energy transformation both in the United States and abroad and, according to an AAPA survey, are poised to build nearly $50 billion in green infrastructure over the next ten years but they need funding assistance from the government to make it happen.

This conference launched vital conversations on the industry’s plans for the future, including energy expertise, energy exporting, pragmatic decarbonization, technology for renewables, and environmental sustainability.

Today, Ports are ambitiously pursuing new projects to mitigate emissions and strengthen resiliency, but they have unmet and technological needs to ensure cargo efficiency improves alongside energy security and environmental protection.

The Port team also attended the Association of Pacific Ports (APP) 2023 Winter Conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii from February 8 to 10, 2023. As a longtime member of the association, General Manager Rory J. Respicio and Director Conchita Taitano attended the annual event where members shared best practices, lessons learned, peer-to-peer networking, and professional development.

“As a member for more than 25 years, the Port has experienced the benefits of being a part of the association, engaging in timely port industry issues and economic trends, hearing first hand perspectives from key port industry leaders, learning what’s new at other ports, and sharing our Port experiences with constituents,” said General Manager Respicio.

The Winter conference covered a range of maritime issues to include Logistics Optimization and Security, Ports and Technology, Upgrading and Improving Port Operations, Legal Issues Affecting Business, Sustainable Asset Management and Maintenance of Infrastructure, Grant Application Tips, Bunkering/Micro grid Program to name a few and a panel discussion on environmental sustainability.

Director Taitano participated as a panel member for the Environmental Sustainability forum and gave a presentation about the Port of Guam called, “Our Road Toward Port Sustainability & Resiliency.” The panel dialogue focused on impacts from climate change and the potential adaptation and mitigation strategies for Ports. In addition, the panel discussed the potential reuse of dredged materials, improved environmental sustainability through infrastructure development, and maintenance methods and funding opportunities associated with sustainability, environmental resiliency and restoration.

Director Taitano’s presentation shared some of the sustainable and resilient opportunities the Port is incorporating and pursuing in its modernization projects. She highlighted the Port’s ongoing efforts to protect the marine environment during the rehabilitation of Hotel Wharf. The environmental assessment of H-Wharf showed that the construction project will have no significant impact on the environment with the Port’s implementation of its mitigation plan and best management practices.

She reported that, to date, 258 coral colonies were successfully relocated and monitoring over a 36-month period show that the coral survivorship was 93% for reference corals compared to 79% for the relocated corals. This difference was due primarily to the deaths of a larger number of relocated Pocillopora damicornis colonies at the shallow reattachment sites.

The Port is committed to protecting Guam’s natural resources through silt and sediment control, stormwater management, sea turtle conservation and construction debris removal. The Port will also remove other non-constructionrelated debris found within the area.

In support of transitioning toward a net carbon zero facility, Director Taitano shared the Port’s success in securing DERA funding from US EPA to replace 4 terminal tractors with 16 Tier-3 ultralow sulfur diesel terminal tractors. She added that the Port’s Solar Feasibility Study was completed and under review with the Guam Power Authority, and that the next step is to conduct a greenhouse gas emission inventory to further identify other viable opportunities to reduce the Port’s carbon footprint.

Director Taitano reiterated the Port’s support of the island’s recycling efforts. She said the Port will conduct an assessment on the most practical location for the Recycling Enterprise Zone, which was authorized by a Public Law, sponsored by our Port General Manager when he was a Senator.

In her presentation, Director Taitano also recognized the importance of Guam’s mangroves and promoted the concept of investing in naturebased solutions to address climate change impacts, such as shoreline erosion, tidal flooding and storm surges through living shorelines.

“It is my mission to assist the Port in taking a leadership role in preserving our natural resources and developing sustainable programs that will benefit not just our port but the island community,” said Director Taitano.

Present at the conference were members from Alaska, American Samoa, British Columbia, Canada, California, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Oregon, Saipan, Taiwan, and Washington.