AAPA’s Lighthouse Awards celebrate programs and projects that stand out as a beacon of excellence across the port industry. The Lighthouse Awards feature award specialty areas and categories that align with the goals of AAPA’s Technical Committees, recognizing various facets of port and maritime activities. The dedication of each committee to support these awards highlights AAPA's collective goal: to honor and inspire excellence in the port industry.
New for 2025, the Maritime Innovator of the Year Award will spotlight a program or project that features a standout product, technology, or service that enhances port operations, safety, sustainability, and/or efficiency. This prestigious award is exclusively for AAPA Industry Solution Provider (ISP) members.
Please view the Lighthouse Awards site to view all categories ports and ISPs can enter!
Eligibility
Only AAPA Port members are eligible to apply for the Port Awards, including members from the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Latin American delegations.
Only AAPA ISP members (suppliers, vendors, and technology providers) are eligible to apply for the Maritime Innovator of the Year Award.
For their award, ports/ISPs may include supporting applicant(s) as part of their application if they wish to highlight a partnership with another public or private entity.
Applications will be accepted only for maritime-related programs/projects that have been completed within the past 12 months. For construction projects, the completed elements should be functional and operational, serving their intended purpose effectively.
Entries will not be eligible for submission if they have been previously entered in prior years. However, if significant modifications have been made to a project, those entries will be considered. In such cases, it is imperative to clearly state and detail the changes made to the project since its last submission.
A completed program/project must have tangible results or outcomes that can be evaluated and measured against the stated objectives.
FEE & DEADLINES
Entry fees help cover the costs of the Lighthouse Awards program, ensuring that AAPA can continue to recognize and celebrate excellence in our industry with the integrity and attention it deserves.
Port Entry Fee: A non-refundable entry fee of $200 is required to process an application for the port Lighthouse Awards. The fee allows entry of a program/project in up to two categories.
Maritime Innovator of the Year Entry Fee: A non-refundable entry fee of $500 is required to process an application for the Maritime Innovator of the Year Award.
If an entrant is submitting more than one program/project, a separate application and entry fee should accompany each submission. Entrants can process payment for all applications in a single transaction. Please pay this fee via credit card through our secure online platform. Upon payment, you will receive a confirmation email containing a personalized application link to submit an entry. Please do not share this link with anyone outside of your organization.
Deadlines: All entries must be submitted through Submittable and all fees paid by no later than June 20, 2025.