National Maritime Day means more now than ever

Our penthouse editorial office in San Francisco offers a panoramic view of The Bay where we witness daily cargo operations here and at the Port of Oakland. It’s a dynamic sight under any circumstances, but especially inspiring as we cope with the demands and imperatives made by COVID-19.

While the Port of San Francisco has put its cruise business on hold for the time being, its logistics profile has recently been raised when Tesla announced that it would resume shipping its high-end automobiles out of this “niche” cargo gateway again. 

At the same time, the Port of Oakland continues to shine in its role as a major player in the container shipping arena with a spate of calls pending by the new generation of “Mega Vessels.”

And with National Maritime Day commencing during the work week of May 18-22, there’s even more to celebrate here. 

To mark the occasion, which annually recognizes the mariners, the maritime industry, ports and their workforces, vessels in harbors and at berth throughout the hemisphere are being encouraged to sound their horns or whistles four times at noon each day from May 18 to May 22 as they work to move COVID-19 response necessities and other goods around the globe.

This year’s National Maritime Day theme, “Sound Off for National Maritime Day,” focuses on the current COVID-19 global pandemic response and recovery effort. 

It’s a recognition of the dedication, sacrifice and professionalism of the port industry workforce in their collective efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus while ensuring a steady flow of vital goods and services.

In the U.S. alone, more than 652,000 maritime-industry professionals work every day to ensure that cargo and cruise and ferry travelers move efficiently through the nation’s ports. Through passenger and crew screenings, vessel quarantines and other measures, seaports are committed to “flattening the curve,” both domestically and among their country’s critical trade partners around the world.

“As businesses around the world begin the process of re-opening and people cautiously venture outside their homes, please remember that port workers and their logistics partners are laboring around the clock to keep us all supplied with vital consumer goods, medical equipment, energy and raw materials,” said Chris Connor, American Association of Port Authorities president and CEO. “While taking all necessary precautions against spreading the virus themselves, our maritime workforce continues to deliver vital goods and services, ship exports, and connect farmers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers to the global marketplace.”

Is that a cargo ship’s horn and whistle we hear blasting in The Gate?

Logistics Management says “cheers to that.”