California Port Leaders Convened Virtually with Lawmakers

In honor of Ports Day 2021, California port directors and lawmakers recently gathered for a virtual event centered around the theme of “Resilience in Action” and included discussions of the ports’ vital role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic hit, California ports stepped up to meet the moment,” said Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, whose district encompasses the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. “Our state has relied on our ports to minimize disruptions to the supply chain, ease distribution of PPE, serve as vital hubs for testing, and now our ports are helping distribute vaccines to those who need it most.”

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, who also serves as president of the California Association of Port Authorities (an organization representing the state’s 11 public port authorities), urged lawmakers to look to ports as partners.

“California ports were resourceful and resilient through a turbulent 2020,” he said. “Now, as we look to the future, we hope the state will embrace its ports as true partners. As California addresses the great challenges of our time – pandemic response, climate change, trade competitiveness, and equitable job creation – we bring specific solutions to support our state’s recovery and resurgence.”

By Pacific Maritime