 Security Lieutenant Jeff Farr checking TWIC badges at the Port's main security gate.
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Port of Palm Beach trains employees on how to combat human trafficking
The Port of Palm Beach announced a new partnership with the nonprofit organization Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) to train employees on human trafficking prevention in observance of Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This new training program will help employees learn the indicators of human trafficking at seaports and what they can do if they witness a potential human trafficking incident.
The training is called Ports to Freedom, and it is the first online, video-based training program specifically designed for the maritime industry. The Port of Palm Beach is the first seaport in Florida to begin using this new human trafficking prevention training.
“We are proud to be the first seaport in Florida to adopt the Ports to Freedom training. I believe it shows our commitment to safety and security. The more our employees learn how to identify and report a potential human trafficking situation, the better chance there is of saving a life,” said Port Executive Director Manuel Almira.
The Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the training during its January 21 regular board meeting.
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 Harbour master Jeff Baker participating in the online training.
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Seaports can be a key location for identifying people who are victims of human trafficking, so it’s essential that employees working at ports are properly trained in what to watch for. Ports to Freedom will help Port of Palm Beach employees learn how to recognize the behaviors that can indicate human trafficking and how to safely report it.
The Port of Palm Beach is providing this training because it supports the human trafficking prevention efforts of the Department of Transportation (DOT) who has launched a national pledge program against human trafficking, asking transportation leaders to commit to helping end human trafficking. Seaports that sign the pledge are committing to train employees to recognize and report the signs of human trafficking. So far, more than 200 transportation groups—including the Port of Palm Beach—have joined the DOT’s pledge. Providing Ports to Freedom training is helping the Port of Palm Beach align with the DOT’s priorities.
"The Department of Transportation’s pledge program is shining a light on a problem that is the human rights issue of our modern times,” said Mar Brettmann, CEO of BEST. “By signing the pledge, the Port of Palm Beach is committing to train their employees so they can learn how to be an advocate for victims if they see something that may be a trafficking situation. This can help more vulnerable people have a chance to escape their traffickers and rebuild their lives.”
Watch video
Read news release
Trafficking hotline numbers
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allocates more than $6.3 million for Lake Worth Inlet shoaling
The Port of Palm Beach recently learned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allocated just over $6.3 million for dredging of the nearby channel and the settling basins.
"In the last five to seven years, funding has been in the neighborhood of $2.5 and $3 million. So this is more than double that and it’s been at least that long since we’ve had enough funding to make an appreciable difference in the sand in the settling basin," said Port Engineer Ron Coddington.
So how will this differ from dredging projects in the past?
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"The great thing about it, is instead of ending up with possibly an emergency dredging operation with a dredge here and then a subsequent operation later with a dredge here, we are going to do it all at once."
Coddington says by completely emptying the settling basins, the Corps of Engineers should be able get to their goal of possibly dredging only every other year or at least one scheduled dredge without draft restrictions and emergency dredging, which causes disruption to Port tenants.
While dredging might not seem important, it plays a critical role in our economy. Having a clean and deep channel allows cargo vessels to transport to and from the Port with full loads.
"When we have draft restrictions, Tropical Shipping's Hope class ships, which during that time of year sail once every week, leave approximately a half million dollars worth of cargo on the docks in Halifax, Canada that they can't load because of draft restrictions. It is a half a million dollar worth of cargo that does not pass through our Port, doesn’t come into the local economy and isn’t available to the Bahamas and the Caribbean nations that we feed," Coddington said.
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Port Engineer shares insight on shoaling
At the February meeting of the National Conference on Beach Preservation Technologies in St. Augustine, FL, Port of Palm Beach Engineer Ron Coddington presented a 15 minute paper on the Analysis of Shoaling at the Port of Palm Beach and the economic impacts to the Port. In attendance were various U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Staff, consulting firms, and city and county parties responsible for inlet dredging and our beaches. Coddington discussed various aspects and solutions to the channel's shoaling. These discussions and meetings will provide for a better understanding of the Port of Palm Beach and how shoaling must be addressed.
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Berth One Palm Beach brings in massive superyacht
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It was a sight to see!
Last month, a 437 ft superyacht docked at Berth One Palm Beach
for a luxurious South Florida getaway. The megayacht facility offers several services to make every yacht owners vacation as smooth as possible. Superyachts visiting the Port of Palm Beach have access to quality marine fuel from SSI petroleum.
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State lawmakers to discuss proposed changes to Port charter
State Representative Matt Willhite filed HB915, a bill whose purpose is to update the Port of Palm Beach’s charter to make it consistent with the size and scope of the of the Port’s daily operations. If passed, the bill would eliminate specific bond requirements for the board of commissioners, allow the board to vote on salary increases and install technical changes including revising the term "port manager to "port director."
After filing the legislation, Representative Willhite issued the following statement.
“The Port of Palm Beach is an economic engine for South Florida. Thousands of people rely on the Port of Palm Beach for work, making it one of Palm Beach County’s largest employers. The Port exports 100% of the raw sugar that is produced in the Glades area, and has been an asset to our neighbors in the Caribbean, especially when they have needed resources after natural disasters such as hurricanes. The Port of Palm Beach has been an asset to Palm Beach County for decades, and it is crucial that we do what we can to ensure the Port’s success.” |
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FPL repairing intake tunnel located near slip 3
Florida Power and Light is currently working on required repairs to the power plant's seawater intake structure. Port Executive Director Manuel Almira, Port Engineer Ron Coddington and Senior Director of Operations Ken Hern have been working with FP&L for months to ensure minimal impacts to port operations.
As FP&L works on the repairs, which includes installing new sheet pile, tenants will be restricted to an access of 25 feet wide. This will mainly impact tenants who utilize Berth 17.
During the major part of the project, there will be a 25 foot wide steel bridge that will allow tenants to drive over the exposed portion of the tunnel.
Feel free to contact Port Engineer Ron Coddington if you have any questions or concerns.
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Relocation of weekly drive-thru food distributions Starting February 27, Hospitality Helping Hand's weekly food drive will be relocated to One East 11th St. Riviera Beach, FL outside the cruise terminal.Attendees are asked to enter the Port through 11th St and then make the first right to the car staging area.
Visitors will then be escorted to the food distribution area once the event starts at 3PM.
The no-contact food distribution events provide families with nutritional groceries, baby products and pet food. |
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Working together to keep our community safe!
Port of Palm Beach partnered with United Way of Palm Beach County and Clinics Can Help to giveaway personal protective equipment to local nonprofit organizations. A representative with United Way contacted Commissioner Katherine Waldron for assistance with storage space. Port of Palm Beach staff stored the PPE on Port property for about a month. The giveaway took place on January 22. Volunteers distributed $350,000 worth of of PPE to 170 local nonprofits. The PPE was purchased with funds provided by Palm Beach County CARES Act for nonprofit grants.Watch video |
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POPB staff reunites a deceased Army veteran's memorial flag with family member
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Port of Palm Beach staff reunited a deceased veteran's memorial flag with one of his living relatives. Our Director of Business Development Micheal Meekins, who is a Navy veteran, found the American flag in a shadow box in the old USCG station on Peanut Island. |
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The flag was in memory of Col. Robert Joseph Gilroy. Meekins and his colleague, PIO Yaremi Farinas, began researching the Colonel. According to the website findagrave.com, Col. Gilroy dedicated almost 30 years to his country. He died in 1993 in Bennington, Vermont. After numerous calls to different groups & individuals, Port staff was able to track down a living niece in Clearwater, FL. The memorial flag arrived at her home on Monday, February 8. |
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Port of Palm Beach "Tenant Spotlight" |
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 Security Officer Frederico Valverde receiving token of appreciation on Security Officer Day in 2019.
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February Port Employee Work Anniversaries
This February marks five years since Federico Valverde began his career at the Port of Palm Beach. Valverde is a security officer. You can most likely catch him patrolling the Port or working the main gate in the morning and early afternoon.
Thank you Frederico for your commitment to the Port.
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One Blood's big red bus returns to the Port on Wednesday, March 3 from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. All donors will receive a wellness checkup, including COVID-19 antibody test, blood pressure temperature, iron count, pulse and cholesterol screening. Please make sure to bring an ID. |
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Helps us improve our websiteWe are redesigning the Port's website and we want to hear from you. If you would like to participate in the redesign process, please fill out this survey.
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COVID-19 Update
You can stay-up to date on how the Port is handling the COVID-19 pandemic, by visiting our COVID-19 alert page on our website.
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Tariff Public Hearings
Port of Palm Beach is holding two virtual Tariff Public Hearings to discuss the adoption of proposed rates and revisions/modifications and additions to the District's Tariff.
The purpose of the revisions/modifications is to update the Port’s Tariff to reflect an average increase of 1% across the board, to add a self-parking overnight section under parking and to clarify a few items.
The first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 24 at 2 PM.
The second hearing is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 11 AM.
A copy of the proposed changes is available on the Port's website.
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Upcoming Commission MeetingsYou're invited to attend our Board of Commissioners meetings. February's meeting will be virtual. The meeting link is available on the Port's website.
In addition, the public is also welcome to join the virtual meeting in-person in our Boardroom located on the 6th Floor of the Maritime Office Complex at One East 11th St Riviera Beach, FL.
- February 18 (virtual)
- March 18
- April 15
View agendas and minutes |
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Check out our new videos on YouTube
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