EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Stronger together
G iven that the bulk of this issue focuses on summaries of presentations from the APP’s 2026 Winter Conference, I thought it only fitting to highlight the welcom- ing message from our APP President, Conchita Taitano (Port of Guam). It so eloquently and succintly summar- ized the purpose of the Association of Pacific Ports that it is worth sharing with readers. While first acknowledging the ancestral lands of Native Hawaiian people, Ms. Taitano then remarked that Hawaii was more than just con- venient geography as the middle point to connect APP members. “For thousands of years, Pacific peoples have understood something APP PORT MEMBERS
essential: the ocean does not separate us. It connects us,” she said. “They knew that every island, every coast, every port is part of a larger system — a network of relationships built on trust, mutual support, and shared responsibility for the waters that sus- tain us all.” She noted that we were living through a time of profound transition. “Climate change, rising seas, extreme weather events, and shifting global trade pat- terns are not distant threats — they are reshaping our ports, our communities, and our coastlines right now...[and] we face these challenges together.” Her key message resonated with attendees: “We are stronger together than we are alone. And with
interconnection comes responsibil- ity — not just to our own ports, but to each other, to the communities we serve, and to the generations who will inherit what we build today.” Ms. Taitano’s words set a thought- ful and unifying tone for the confer- ence, reminding participants that the strength of the Association lies not only in shared knowledge, but in shared purpose. Her message serves as both an inspiration and a call to action — that by working collectively, Pacific ports can build resilient, sustainable futures for their communities and ensure that the connections across our ocean remain a source of opportunity for generations to come. — Jane McIvor
March 2026 — PACIFIC PORTS — 7
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