Volume 85 No. 12
December 2021
“The Voice of Port Industries” @VAmaritime
VMA’S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2021 NORFOLK | The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) hosted its Annual Business Meeting, Social, and Dinner at the Hilton | The Main in downtown Norfolk, VA on December 7, 2021. The meeting portion was streamed virtually as well. With nearly 150 attendees, this was the largest indoor/hybrid event since the pandemic struck (with standard precautions in place) and considered a highly successful event that brought members festively together. Sponsors included CV International, The Port of Virginia, Bay Diesel & Generator, Capes Shipping Agencies, MES, Clark Nexsen, T. Parker Host, Pender & Coward, Service Transfer, Inc., and Virginia Business. Reports on the Association’s activities were given by President Mike Coleman, Executive Director David White, and Treasurer Judy Barrett.
MEMBERSHIP VMA’s membership has remained strong throughout the pandemic, ending 2021 with 440 Member companies, of which 63 are anchor members, and 681 representatives, 34 of which are Future Leaders. New anchors include: at the Platinum Level: VEDP – International and Bank of America ; at gold, Excel Truck Group, Seajacks UK Limited, and Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.; at silver: Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP, ECPI University, Givens Logistics, Nexans High Voltage USA Inc., and Virginia Business; and at bronze: Alacran, Foss Maritime, Osbit, and Seaway.
throughout the state, while continuing to host hybrid chapter meetings. The Maritime Leadership Certificate Program (MLCP) resumed activities in July, following a hiatus due to the pandemic and the accessibility to facilities within company safety requirements, such as the size of tour groups. Two cohorts graduated this year, the class of 2020 in July and the class of 2021 in November, once it was safe to resume in-person activities (24 Mike Colemen recognizes Anchor members during individuals graduated to-date). A new class the Annual Business Meeting will be announced in February for a March Mixers, two golf outings, and closed the 2022 start. year with the Annual Meeting and Dinner. EVENTS All were conducted with appropriate safety On February 12, 2021, the last day of protocols and were very well attended. VMA’s 100th year, the VMA concluded INDUSTRY HEADLINES its centennial celebrations with a virtual Virginia Port Authority brought fundraiser, “Feeding Virginia.” The hThe in a new CEO and Executive Director, VMA raised over $100,000 for Virginia Stephen Edwards. foodbanks, helping feed families across the state dealing with hunger. hHaving added over 1 million TEU of new With great disappointment, VMA’s largest events, the International Trade Symposium and Annual Banquet were cancelled for the second year in-a-row with the safety of all concerned in mind as COVID-19 cases were spiking. These signature events will return September 2022.
capacity in the preceding year, The Port of Virginia operated with great efficiency at the same time other major ports were experiencing significant congestion, attracting new ocean carrier services and new cargo at record volumes. 2021 was the first year the port received 16,000 TEU container ships and its annualized volume exceeded 3 million TEU.
Still, throughout 2021 VMA adapted to keep a full calendar of virtual, in-person, CGM Group announced the and hybrid events. These included a hCMA expansion of their North American highly effective Port Day which connected headquarters in the City of Norfolk and members across the state with their local their presence in Virginia, creating more legislators in the General Assembly. In than 400 new jobs in Hampton Roads Regional Chapters kicked off in-person addition to the socials held by the regional activities back in June with a series of socials chapters, VMA hosted three Maritime Continue Reading on Page 3
INSIDE THIS EDITION h VMA’s Year in Review: 2021 (1) h Officers and Board of Directors (2)
h MLCP Learn about Trucking, Workforce h VA Coastal Resillience Plan (4) Development, Innovation, & Ship Repair (4) h Committee Updates (6)
h James River Partnership (4)
h New Members (7)
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